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THE 


DOCTRINE 


ETERNAL  HELL  TORMENTS 


OVERTHROWN 


IN   THREE   PARTS. 


1.    OF    THE    TORMENTS  OF  HELL,  THE  FOUNDATION  AND 

PILLARS    THEREOF,  SEARCHED,    DISCOVERED, 

SHAKEN    AND    REMOVED,    ETC. 

2.    AN    ARTICLE    FROM    THE    HARLEIAN    MIS- 
CELLANY   ON    UNIVERSALISM. 

3.     DR.    hartley's    defence     OF 
UNIVERSALISM. 


BOSTON : 

PUBLISHED    AT  THE   TRUMPET  OFFICE* 

1833. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1833,  hj 
Thomas  Whittemore, 
in  the  Clerk's  OflBce  of  the  District  Court  of  Massachusetts'^ 


BOSTON: 
JAMEB  B.  DOW,  PRINTEKp 
122  Washinotok-st. 


THE 


TORMENTS  OF  HELL, 


FOUNDATION  AND  PILLARS  THEREOF,  SEARCHED, 
DISCOVERED,  SHAKEN  AND  REMOVED. 


TOGETHER   WITH 


INFALLIBLE  PROOFS  THAT  THERE  IS  NOT  TO  BE 

A  PUNISHMENT  AFTER  THIS  LIFE  FOR  ANY 

TO  ENDURE  THAT  SHALL  NEVER  END. 


J^^ 


PREFACE 


It  cannot  be  considered  improper  to  introduce  the 
following  work,  on  the  Torments  of  Hell,  with  a  brief 
account  of  its  Author.  The  first  edition  appeared  in 
London,  in  1658,  and  no  secresy  was  maintained  in 
regard  to  its  origin.  It  was  avowedly  the  produc- 
tion of  one  Samuel  Richardson,  a  writer  of  some 
note,  if  we  may  judge  from  the  size  and  number  of 
the  works  he  wrote.  Very  little,  however,  is  known  of 
him.  I  have  searched  all  the  usual  sources  of  biogra- 
phy for  some  account  of  this  singular  individual, 
but  without  success.  By  a  reference  to  that  scarce 
and  valuable  book.  Watt's  Bibliotheca,  it  appears  that 
he  was  the  author  of  the  following  works  :  '  Consider- 
ations on  Dr.  Featley's  Dipper  Dipt,'  quarto,  London 
1645.  '  Justification  by  Christ  alone,  a  Fountain  of  Life 
and  Comfort,'  quarto,  London,  1647.  '  The  Necessity 
of  Toleration  in  Religion,'  quarto,  1647.  '  An  Answer 
to  the  London  Minister's  Letter  to  his  Excellency  and 
to  his  Council  of  War,  as  also  an  answer  to  J.  Geree's 
Book,  &c.'  quarto,  London,  1649.  *  The  Cause  of  the 
Poor  pleaded,'  quarto,  London,  1653.  '  An  Apology 
for  the   present  Government  and  Governor,'  quarto, 


t\     ^$^^       \  ^.  .  PREFACE. 

London,  1654.  *  Plain  Dealing/  in  answer  to  Mr. 
Vavasor,  Powell  and  others,  quarto,  London,  1656. 
None  of  these  works  to  our  knowledge  have  descended 
to  the  present  age.  The  most  of  them,  we  should 
judge  from  the  titles,  referred  to  the  peculiar  events  of 
the  author's  own  time ;  and  they  would  lead  us  to 
think  that  he  was  possessed  of  a  bold  and  enterprising 
character. 

Of  the  work  that  follows,  the  present,  we  believe,  is 
the  fourth  edition.  The  original  edition  came  out,  as 
we  have  said,  in  1658 ;  the  second,  in  1660.  The 
third  was  published  many  years  after,  with  a  selection 
of  scarce  and  valuable  pieces  that  were  entirely  out  of 
print,  with  a  view  to  their  preservation.  This  edition 
is  from  the  third.  It  is  a  faithful  copy  in  every  res- 
pect, except  that  the  antique  orthography  is  avoided, 
the  style  is  in  some  cases  modernized,  and  a  few  passa- 
ges have  been  elucidated  where  the  sense  was  obscure. 

It  will  be  universally  conceded  that  this  is  a  rare 
and  curious  w^ork.  It  abounds  in  a  great  variety  of 
arguments,  some  of  them  strange  and  whimsical,  but 
others  very  cogent  and  convincing.  The  author  was 
unquestionably  a  man  of  originality,  of  talent,  of  fear- 
lessness, of  reflection,  of  study,  though  he  sometimes 
decided  hastily,  and  involved  himself  in  inconsistency. 
He  has  said  enough  however  to  accomplish  fully  the 
object  he  proposed,  viz.  to  search,  discover,  shake  and 
remove  the  pillars  of  the  erroneous  doctrine  of  endless 
hell  torments. 

It  should  be  remembered  that  it  is  one  hundred  and 
sseTenty-five  years  since  this  work  was  written.  At  that 
time  very  few  doubted  the  doctrine  of  endless  hell  tor- 


PREFACE.  '  7 

ments  ;  very  little  was  understood  of  biblical  criticism; 
and  the  most  extraordinary  licenses  were  indulged  in 
the  interpretation  of  the  sacred  writings.  The  reader 
will,  therefore,  wonder,  not  that  the  author  was  some- 
times wrong,  but  that  he  was  so  often  right ;  and  that 
he  grasped  the  whole  of  the  subject  in  his  mind, 
arriving  at  the  same  conclusions,  in  regard  to  the  prin- 
cipal facts,  to  which  critics  of  the  present  age  have 
come,  with  all  their  multiplied  advantages.  It  does 
not  appear,  however,  that  he  was  perfectly  clear  on  all 
points.  There  are  a  few  passages  in  the  work  which 
seem  to  favor  the  notion  of  the  annihilation  of  the 
wicked.  They  ought  not  however  to  be  understood  as 
giving  the  author's  opinion  decidedly  on  that  point; 
because  in  other  parts  of  the  work  he  openly  and 
indisputably  teaches  the  doctrine  of  universal  salva- 
tion. He  must  be  regarded  as  an  undoubted  believer 
in  the  final  restoration  of  all  mankind.  It  will  further- 
more appear,  that  he  did  not  hold  the  doctrine  of 
punishment  in  the  future  state,  in  any  sense. 

The  publication  of  the  original  edition  of  this  work, 
called  out  the  friends  of  the  doctrine  of  endless  torment 
in  its  defence.  Nicholas  Chewney,  published  in  London 
1660,  a  work  entitled  'Hell's  Everlasting  Torments 
Asserted.'  There  came  out  also  in  1675,  in  London, 
another  work,  in  octavo,  bearing  the  title,  '  Causa  Dei, 
or  an  apology  for  God,  in  the  perpetuity  of  infernal 
torments,'  by  Richard  Biirthogge.  And  also  in  1679, 
John  Brandon,  Rector  of  Finchamstead,  Berks,  pub- 
lished a  work  in  London,  in  answer  to  the  Torments 
of  Hell,  entitled  *  Everlasting  Fire  no  Fancy.' 


8  PREFACE. 

In  regard  to  the  other  two  tracts  which  I  have  con- 
nected with  the  above  in  this  work,  it  is  necessary  only 
to  remark,  that  they  had  never  been  published  in  this 
country  before.  The  article  from  the  Harleian  Mis- 
cellany I  have  given  entire.  This  was  probably 
written  about  the  same  time  with  the  work  already 
noticed,  but  remained  in  manuscript  in  the  Earl  of 
Oxford's  Library  until  1744,  when  it  was  first  published. 
This  is  the  second  edition.  The  extract  from  Dr. 
Hartley's  work  on  Man  consists  of  two  chapters,  and 
embraces  all  that  work  contains  on  the  subject  of 
Universalism.  Those  who  are  acquainted  with  Dr. 
Hartley's  book  will  remember,  that  it  is  almost  entirely 
occupied  with  the  subject  of  man's  pAyszca?  and  moral 
constitution;  and  it  is  not  until  the  close  that  he  dis- 
cusses man's  expectations  concerning  the  future.  As 
it  is  doubtful  whether  this  work  will  ever  be  re-pub- 
lished in  this  country,  or  if  it  should,  whether  it  will 
fall  generally  into  the  hands  of  Universalists,  we  have 
ventured  to  publish  separately  all  that  part  of  it  which 
relates  to  the  salvation  of  all  mankind. 


TORMENTS   OF   HELL. 


CHAPTER  1. 

Section  I.      Of  ChtisVs  descending  into  Hell. 

Some  of  the  learned  say,  Christ  descended  into 
hell,  and  for  proof  allege  Psalm  xxi,  10,  Acts  ii.  27. 
Dr.Willet  says,  that  those  words  of  Christ  {descend- 
ed into  hell)  are  not  found  in  the  most  ancient 
creeds.  Dr.  William  Whitaker  says,  I  could  pro- 
duce fifty  of  the  most  ancient  creeds  that  have  not 
these  words,  (descended  into  hell,)  in  his  answer  to 
Campion,  p.  215.  Mr.  William  Perkins  on  the  creed 
saith.  It  seems  likely  that  these  words  (he  descended 
into  hell )  were  not  placed  in  the  creed  at  first,  and 
that  they  crept  in  by  negligence  ;  for  above  three- 
score creeds  of  the  most  ancient  Councils  and 
Fathers  want  this  clause,  (he  descended  into  hell) 
among  the  rest  it  is  not  found  in  the  »/Vicene  creed,  nor 
found  in  the  Romish  Church,  nor  used  in  the  church 
of  the  East. 

Also  some  of  the  learned   say,    Christ  descended 
not  into  hell,  yet  it  is  an  article  of  their  faith  :  but 
if  you  say  he  did  not  descend  into  hell,  they  wiU 
2 


10  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

say  you  deny  the  faith,  and  are  a  heretic  and  a  blas- 
phemer; and  you  may  be  glad  you  can  escape  so. 
They  themselves  interpret  hell  otherwise  than  for  a 
place  of  torments  never  to  end.  Mr.  Bucer  saith, 
Christ  descending  into  hell,  is  to  be  understood  of 
his  burial.  Mr.  Calvin  saith,  Hell  is  the  sorrow  of 
mind  Christ  was  in  before  his  death.  Why  hast  thou 
forsaken  me?  is  God's  hiding  his  face,  when  Christ 
was  on  the  cross,  saith  Dr.  Whitaker  against  Cam- 
pion, p.  211.  For  upon  the  cross  he  said,  It  is  fin- 
ished, John  xix.  30;  therefore  his  suffering  was  at 
an  end.  Some  of  the  Papists  confess  Christ  suffer- 
ed not  after  his  death:  Luke  xxii.  42,  44.  Ursinus 
Catechis,  p.  350.  Mr.  Perkins  saith,  hell  is  the 
inward  sufferings  of  Christ  on  the  cross.  Bernard 
makes  the  grief  of  Christ's  soul  his  hell. 

Dr.  Ames,  in  his  Marrow  of  Divinity,  p,  65,  saith, 
that  of  the  place  of  hell,  and  manner  of  torture 
tliere,  the  scripture  hath  not  pronounced  anything 
distinctly.  If  so,  then  the  word  of  God  saith  not 
anything  at  all  of  them:  for  that  which  the  Scrip- 
ture speaks,  it  speaks  distinctly,  else  it  could  not 
have  been  read  distinctly,  Nehem.  viii.  8.  That 
which  is  spoken  expressly  is  spoken  distinctly:  the 
spirit  speaks  expressly.  1  Tim.  iv.  1,  3.  The  word 
of  the  Lord  came  expressly,  Ezok.  i.  3.  That 
which  is  not  spoken  distinctly,  cannot  be  understood, 
as  appears.  Cor.  xiv.  2,  17. 

Dr.  Fulke  saith  plainly,  that  neither  in  the  He- 
brew, Greek,  nor  Latin,  is  there  a  word  proper  for 
hell,  (as  we  take  hell  for  the  place  of  punishment  of 
the  ungodly.)     Fulke'»  Defence  Translation,  pp.  13, 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  11 

87,  89.  Is  not  this  a  full  testimony  against  their 
opinion  of  the  torments  of  hell  ?  For  if  it  be  not  to 
be  read  in  the  word  of  God,  what  have  we  to  do 
with  it  r*  We  are  not  to  believe  anything  in  reli- 
gion, unless  it  be  written.  Hoiv  readest  thou?  saith 
Christ.  Revealed  things  belong  to  us,  Deut.  xxix.  29. 
As  it  is  written,  1  believed.  2  Cor.  iv.  13.  They 
confess  it  is  not  written:  then  sure  I  am  it  is  not  to 
be  by  any  affirmed  nor  believed.  Meddle  not  with 
things  not  revealed;  they  are  but  groundless  con- 
ceits, fables,  and  traditions  of  men. 

The  word  hell  is  not  in  the  Hebrew  and  Greek 
Bible;  for  the  word  in  the  Hebrew,  for  which  the 
English  word  hell  is  put,  is  sheol;  the  proper  signifi- 
cation of  sheol  is  the  grave,  as  all  that  be  learned  in 
the  Hebrew  do  know.  Sheol  hath  its  signification 
of  shaal,  to  crave  or  require  :  therefore  it  is  one  of 
the  four  that  is  never  satisfied.  Prov.  xxx.  15.  We 
learn  the  propriety  of  the  Hebrew  word  from  the 
learned  Rabbles,  saith  Dr.  Fulke.  Def.  Trans.  Bib. 
p.  90.  The  Hebrew  Doctors,  and  Jewirh  Rabbles 
are  for  signification  of  words  faithful  interpreters; 
they  say,  s/i6o/  is  the  grave.  Rabbi  Levi,  according 
to  the  opinion  of  the  learned,  expounds  sheol  to  be 
the  lowest  region  of  the  world,  opposite  to  heaven 
If  I  descend  into  sheol,  thou  art  present.  So  R. 
Abraham  on  Jonah  ii.  And  David  Chimchi,  and 
R.  Solomon,  read  Psalm  ix.  16,  17.  Let  the  wicked 
he  turned  into  sheol:  that  is,  death's  estate  or  deadly 
bed.  Jonah  calls  the  belly  of  the  whale  sheol,  Jon. 
ii.  2,3.  Rabbi  Solomon  Jarchi,  on  Gen.  xxxvii.  35, 
saith,   that  the  true  and    proper   interpretation  of 


12  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

sheol  is  heber,  which  is  the  grave.  The  hoar  head 
is  said  to  go  down  to  sheol,  Gen.  xlii.  3S.  In 
Numb.  xvi.  33,  it  is  said,  they,  their  substance,  and 
cattle,  went  alive  to  sheolah;  that  is,  the  pit,  or 
grave.  Our  hones  are  scattered  at  the  verij  brink  or 
mouth  of  sheol,  Psal.  cxli.  7.  Jacob  sa.id,  I ivill  go 
down  to  my  son  Joseph  to  sheol,  Gen.  xxxvii.  35. — 
The  Protestant  writers  say  sheol  properly  signifies 
the  grave  ;  Dr.  Fulke's  Answer  to  the  Preface  Rhem- 
ist,  p.  22.  So  also  in  his  Defence,  p.  91.  Mr.  Beza 
saith,  that  sheol  properly  signifies  nothing  but  the 
grave,  or  pit.  Fulke  saith,  the  best  of  the  Hebrews 
that  either  interpreted  Scripture,  or  made  dictiona- 
ries, Jews  or  Christians,  say  sheol  properly  signifies 
the  grave,  p_.  89;  and  that  deliverance  from  the  low- 
est hell,  is  deliverance  from  the  greatest  danger  of 
death;  so  Fulke's  Ansiv.  Rhemist,  pp.  13,  39,  135; 
and  so  the  late  Annotation  of  the  Bible  interprets  it. 
And  Augustine  on  Psalm  xxxvi.  13,  for  lowest  hell 
reads  lowest  grave;  andsoDr.Willet,  Synop.  p.  1049. 

The  Chaldee  Paraphrast  retaineth  the  word  sheol, 
and  translates  it,  the  house  of  the  grave,  pp.  11,  15. 
They  interpret  sheol,  keburata,  the  grave:  Job  xxi. 
13.  Beith  keburata,  the  house  of  the  grave,  pp.  17, 
12.  Rabbi  Abraham  Peristsol  joins  sheol  and  keber 
together,  both  signifying  the  grave  ;  and  so  doih  Dr. 
Fulke  in  his  Defence,  p.  91.  And  so  Mr.  Cart- 
wright  on  Acts  ii.  27.  Mr.  Cradock  saith,  hell  is 
not  mentioned  in  the  Old  Testament,  except  as  it  is 
taken  for  the  grave;  in  his  GoodJVeivs,  p.  43. 

Sheol  enforces  not  any  place  of  punishment,  be- 
cause it  sigwi/ies  not  any    place   of  punishment;  so 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  13 

says  Dr.  AVillet,  Sijnop.  p.  1055.  Also  he  saith  the 
word  sheol  cannot  be  translated,  except  for  the  grave. 
There  are  four  words  in  the  Psalms  expressing  the 
same  thing  in  effect  that  sheol  doth,  yet  none  of 
them  applicable  to  signify  any  place  of  torment;  the 
first  is  shacath,  fovea,  the  pit,  Psalm  xxx.  9;  the 
second  is  bhor,  the  lalie:  the  third  is  heher,  the 
grave;  both  these  words  used  for  the  same  thing, 
Psalm  Ixxxviii.  3.  The  word  is  sheol,  ver.  45,  the 
other  word  used  as  expressing  the  former:  and  all 
these  three  do  contain  a  description  of  death  and 
the  grave.  The  fourth  is  ieheinoth,abyssus  terrce: 
Thou  will  take  me  from  the  depths  of  the  earth,  Psalm 
Ixxi.  20.  In  all  which  there  is  no  mention  of  a 
place  of  torment.     Willet  Synop.  p.  1050. 

The  Greek  translates  sheol  into  haden  or  hades 
of  Adam,  because  Adam  tasted  death,  and  went  to 
the  grave,  Gen.  iii.  19.  The  gates  of  sheol  is 
death;  sheol  and  hades  are  said  to  have  gates, 
Isaiah  xxxviii.  10.    Psalm  ix.  13.    Mat.  xvi.   18. 

The  Septuagint  express  a  place  generally  to  re- 
ceive the  dead;  the  word  used  in  the  Greek  instead 
of  the  Hebrew  word  sheol,  signifies  a  dark  place, 
such  as  the  grave  or  pit  in  which  the  dead  are  laid. 
Dr.  Fulke  saith,  some  take  the  Greek  word  for  hell, 
but  it  signifies  the  grave ;  hell  it  cannot  signify  vvhen 
used  by  those  that  believe  no  hell.  The  Greeks 
say  plainly,  that  their  souls  shall  vanish  like  light 
smoke,  or  light  air;  Fidke's  Def  p.  92.  Also  he 
saith,  if  the  Greek  and  Latin  interpreters  had  before 
us  translated  amiss,  which  gave  occasion  to  divers 
errors,   must  we  (knowing  the  true   signification  of 

the  woFd)  follow  them.^ 

2* 


14  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

The  word  hell  is  not  in  the  Greek;  the  Greek  word 
for  which  they  put  the  English  word  hell,  is  gehenna; 
ge  in  Greek  is  the  earth,  or  ground,  and  henna  is 
borrowed  from  the  Hebrew,  from  the  valley  of  Hin- 
nom.  Dr.  Lightfoot,  in  his  epistle  prefixed  to 
his  Harmony,  saith,  It  is  well  known  the  judgment 
of  gehenna  is  taken  from  the  valley  of  gehenna;  To- 
phet  or  gehenna  are  names  of  the  places  of  idolatry ; 
there  was  the  idol  Moloch. 


Section  II.  Of  Hell-fire,  Mat.  v.  22,  and  the  ever- 
lasting fire,  and  unquenchable  fire,  Mat.  xxv.  41, 
46.  Fear  him  that  hath  power  to  cast  into  hell, 
Luke  xii.  5.    The  damnation  of  hell,  Mat.  xxiii.  33. 

Mat.  V.  22.  The  fire  of  gehenna,  and  the  everlasting 
fire,  &c.  How  the  Jews  understood  them  is  evident- 
ly to  be  seen  in  their  writings;  they  understood 
these  expressions  to  signify  the  fire  of  the  valley  of 
Hinnom;  so  saith  Dr.  Lightfoot  to  the  reader,  in  his 
Harmony,  because  of  the  law  thou  art  delivered  from 
the  judgment  of  gehenna  and  Baal-Tur.   Gem.  i.   1. 

The  Protestant  writers  confess  that  Mat.  v.  22. 
xxv.  41,  46,  Luke  xii.  5,  are  to  be  understood  of  the 
fire  of  the  valley  of  the  son  of  Hinnom,  which  is 
Tophet;  so  Mr.  Cartwright,  Dr.  Fulke,  Mr.  Trap, 
and  the  late  Annotations  on  the  Bible,  and  others,  for 
in  danger  of  hell-fire  ^c.  read,  in  danger  of  being 
burned  in  the  valley  of  Hinnom,  or  Tophet; — 
the  damnation  of  hell,  gehenna  ;  they  interpret 
these  places  of  the  valley  of  Hinnom,  or  Tophet, 
which  place  was  near  to  Jerusalem,  where  they  of- 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  15 

fered  their  children  to  Moloch,  Josh.  xv.  8.  King 
Josiah  defiled  Tophet,  the  valley  of  the  son  of  Hinnom, 
that  no  man  might  make  his  son  or  daughter  pass 
through  the  fire  to  Moloch,  2  Kings  xxiii.  10.  Josi- 
ah commanded  all  the  carrion  of  the  city  of  Jerusa- 
lem to  be  carried  into  that  valley,  and  burned  there, 
that  the  carrion  might  not  annoy  the  city;  thither, 
saith  David  Chimchi,  were  carried  all  the  filth  and 
unburied  carcasses,  to  be  burned.  The  Sanhedrim 
of  the  Jews,  for  some  offences,  sentenced  the  bodies 
of  the  offenders  to  lie  unburied  in  that  valley,  to 
burn  with  the  carrion  cast  there,  which,  among  the 
Jews,  was  considered  a  great  disgrace:  and  for  of- 
fences  most  criminal,  they  burned  the  offenders 
alive  in  that  valley.  They  placed  the  malefactor  in 
a  dunghill  up  to  the  knees,  and  put  a  towel  about 
his  neck,  and  one  pulled  it  one  way  and  one  anoth- 
er way,  till  being  strangled  he  was  forced  to  open 
his  mouth;  then  they  poured  scalding  lead  into  his 
mouth,  which  went  down  into  his  body,  and  so  burn- 
ed his  bowels;  Talmud  in  Sanhedr.  Per.  7.  Mr. 
Cartwrigiit  saith,  the  Jews  sent  thither  their  guilty 
to  be  burned  in  that  valley,  and  those  they  burned 
there  they  dealt  with  as  guilty. 

Observe  the  following  reasons:  First,  it  is  con- 
fessed by  all,  that  Christ  speaks  and  alludes  to  the 
Jewish  practice  in  their  judicature;  therefore  the 
places  abovesaid  concern  them.  Secondly,  the 
speech  of  Christ  was  to  the  Jews  by  birth  and  educa- 
tion; they  wrote  the  New  Testament,  and  though  it 
be  penned  in  Greek,  it  speaks  the  phrase  of  the 
Jewish  nation.     The  apostle,  preaching  to  the  Jews, 


16  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

used  the  word  gehenna,  James  iii,  6.  Christ  and  his 
disciples  used  known  terms,  that  they  might  the  bet- 
ter be  understood.  Thirdly,  because  the  Jews  had 
not  power  to  send  them  to  the  hell  they  speak  of  in 
the  future  world.  Fourthly,  because  the  last,  only,  of 
the  three  sins  is  said  to  be  judged  to  the  fire  of 
gehenna,  which  if  it  were  to  be  understood  as  some 
would  have  it,  it  will  follow  that  some  sins  deserve 
not  hell  eternal,  and  shall  not  be  punished  there, 
which  is  contrary  to  themselves,  who  teach  that  the 
least  sin  deserves  hell  eternal.  Fifthly,  Mat.  v.  22, 
shows  the  severity  of  the  Jews  and  Pharisees  in  pun- 
ishing anger  without  a  cause.  Rcicha  is  a  word  of 
disgrace,  which  signifies  a  crafty  fellow,  or  wicked 
wretch.  To  apply  it  to  any  one  was  as  great  fault 
as  to  say  fool,  if  not  greater,  yet  it  was  punished 
less:  Thus,  he  who  was  guilty  of  rash  anger  was  in 
danger  of  the  judgement;  he  who  contemptuously 
said  racha,  was  in  danger  of  the  council;  but  if  he 
said /oo/,  he  was  in  danger  of  hell-Jire,  i.  e.  in  the. 
true  sense,  to  burn  in  the  valley  of  the  son  of  Hin- 
nom. 

Section  III.    Of  the  ivord  Everlasting. 

1.  The  fire  of  the  valley  of  Tophet  is  so  called,  in 
that  it  did  burn  day  and  night,  and  went  not  out. 

2.  The  words  ever  and  everlasting  the  Greeks  un- 
derstand to  mean  an  «ge;  ever  and  everlasting  are 
of  similar  signification,  and  are  used  for  a  limited 
time,  a  time  during  life:  He  shall  serve  his  master 
forever,  Exod.  xxi.  6;  Levit.  xxv.  46;  that  is,  until 
his  own  or  his  master's  death;  longer  he  could  not 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  17 

serve  him.  The  everlasting  priesthood,  Exod.  xl. 
15,  was  only  until  Christ  came ;  then  it  was  to  cease, 
as  appears,  Heb.  vii.  12 — 14.  It  is  said,  theij  shall 
inherit  the  land  forever,  Isa.  x.  21 ;  that  ever  was  but 
a  little  while,  as  appears,  Isa.  Ixiii.  18. 

3.  Inasmuch  as  fire  is  durable,  and  goeth  not  out 
until  the  combustible  matter  be  consumed,  it  may  be 
called  everlasting  and  unquenchable;  for  the  fire 
that  destroyed  the  cities  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  is 
called  eternal  fire,  because  it  indeed  consumed  those 
cities;  but  where  no  wood  is  ihejire  goeth  out,  Prov. 
xxvi.  20. 

4.  If  fire  were  everlasting,  it  will  not  follow  that 
what  is  cast  into  it  is  ev-erlasting;  the  wicked  are 
compared  to  chaff*  and  stubble;  fire  is  not  long  in 
consuming  them.  Burn  the  chaff,  Isa.  v.  24.  If 
any  say  chaff"  will  be  ever  burning,  and  never  con- 
sumed, we  know  the  contrary. 

5.  Consider  that  the  scripture  sometimes  uses 
words  that  exceed  their  signification,  and  they  are 
not  strictly  to  be  understood  according  to  their  liter- 
al signification;  as  John  xxi.  25,  The  things  that  Je- 
sus did,  if  they  should  be  ivritten,  I  suppose  the  world 
itself  ivould  not  contain  the  things  that  should  be  writ- 
ten. A  large  expression!  What!  will  not  the  whole 
world  contain  a  record  of  the  actions  of  one  man? 
The  meaning  is,  they  would  be  exceedingly  numer- 
ous, or  too  great.  So  sin,  and  the  strength  of  the 
Ethiopian  army  are  said  to  be  infinite.  Job  xxii.  5, 
Nah.  iii.  9;  that  is,  very  great;  for  the  world  and  all 
it  contains  is  finite,  Isa.  xl.  17.  These  considera- 
tions show  how  such  words  are  to  be  understood, 
and  it  may  satisfy  us  herein. 


13  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

Is  it  not  a  very  strange  thing  that  they  themselves 
should  confess  that  the  English  word  hell  is  in  the 
Hebrew  sheol,  and  in  the  Greek  hades  and  gehenna, 
and  that  they  are  to  be  understood  as  aforesaid,  and 
still  should  translate  these  same  words  by  the  Eng- 
lish word  hell,  and  then,  expound  hell  as  a  terrible 
and  dreadful  place  of  torment,  never  to  end?  O  hor- 
rible abuse  and  blasphemy  against  God  and  his 
word!  and  even  all  men  are  deluded  and  deceived 
thereby.  Verily,  verily,  they  deserve  the  name 
they  give  to  others,  of  denying  the  word  of  God. 

Section  IV.    The  story  of  Dives.    Luke  :sP-  19-31. 

This  affords  no  proof  of  any  torments  in  hell,  be- 
cause it  is  a  parable,  not  a  history;  on  a  parable  we 
are  not  to  ground  a  doctrine.  The  story  of  Dives  is 
no  more  a  proof  of  a  punishment  after  this  life,  than 
Judges  ix.  8,  is  a  proof  that  trees  did  formerly  walk 
and  speak;  for  it  is  said,  the  trees  went  forth  and  said, 
8fc.  The  story  of  Dives  is  not  to  be  understood  ac- 
cording to  the  letter  for  the  following  reasons: 

1.  It  saith,  there  was  a  rich  man  in  hell,  yet  all 
confess  the  body  is  in  the  grave. 

2.  How  could  Dives  see  so  far,  as  Abraham's 
bosom  is  from  hell?  Mr.  Leigh  sailh,  the  great 
chaos  between  Abraham  and  Dives  signifies  an  in- 
finite distance,  which  overthroweth  their  seeing, 
and  speaking  to  each  other. 

3.  It  saith,  he  saw  Abraham;  yet  they  say,  hell  is 
a  place  of  utter  darkness;  how  can  anything  be  seen 
in  a  place  of  utter  darkness? 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  19 

4.  By  what  means  can  Dives  know  Abraham  from 
another,  seeing,  as  all  confess,  his  body  is  in  the 
grave  until  the  resurrection? 

5.  How  could  Dives  speak  to  Abraham,  his  body 
being  in  the  grave?  Can  any  speak  without  the  or- 
gans of  the  body? 

6.  How  shall  Dives  hear  Abraham  at  so  great  a 
gulf  and  distance,  as  heaven  is  from  hell? 

7.  How  comes  Dives  to  have  such  charity  in  hell 
to  his  five  brethren,  seeing  he  had  none  to  them 
when  on  earth? 

8.  Dives  would  have  Abraham  to  send  to  them, 
which  cannot  be,  because  Abraham  knoweth  us  not, 
Isa.  Ixiii.  16. 

9.  How  shall  Abraham  send,  seeing  he  hath  no 
communion  with  us,  nor  passage  to  us? 

10.  To  what  purpose  will  it  be  to  send?  If  they 
will  not  hear  Moses  and  the  Prophets,  neither  will 
they  be  persuaded  if  one  rise  from  the  dead,  ver.  31. 
It  is  therefore  a  parable,  and  the  scope  of  it  is,  as 
Dr.  Fulke  saith,  that  those  that  will  not  hear  Moses 
and  the  Prophets,  are  not  to  expect  to  be  called, 
neither  by  vision  nor  apparition,  ver.  26,  30.  This 
parable  is  not  clone,  but  represented,  saith  Mr.  Cart- 
wright  on  Luke  xvi.  30.  The  story  of  Dives  in  hell 
is  one  of  their  main  pillars  of  hell-torments,  and  by 
that  which  is  said,  it  is  shaken  and  removed. 


Section  V.     Of  Tophet.  Isaiah  xxx.  €3. 

This  place  is  no  proof  of  endless  hell-torments,  the  be- 
lievers in  endless  torment  themselves  being  judges. 


20  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

They  say,  hell  is  deep  under  ground,  and  Tophet  is 
a  phice  above  ground,  as  hath  been  showed.  Behold 
the  days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  this  place  shall  no 
more  be  called  Tophet,  nor  the  valley  of  the  son  of 
Hinnom,  hut  the  valley  of  slaughter;  for  in  this  place 
will  I  cause  them  to  fall  by  the  sword  before  their  ene- 
mies, by  the  hand  of  those  that  seek  their  lives,  and 
their  carcasses  will  I  give  for  meat  for  the  fowls 
of  the  heaven ;  and  they  shall  bury  in  Tophet,  till  there 
be  no  place  to  bm-y  in',  Jer.  xix.  6;  vii.  32.  They 
confess  Tophet  is  the  valley  of  the  son  of  Hinnom; 
Tophet,  Hebrew,  Toph,  Timpanum,  that  is  to  say, 
gehenna.  The  Greek  gehenna  signifies  a  tabret  or 
drum-head,  or  anything  that  makes  a  noise.  Tophet 
is  ordained  of  old,  (Hebrew,  yesterday,)  prepared, 
fitted  for  the  king,  and  those  with  him  ivhom  the  Lord 
will  there  slay  for  their  sins,  by  their  enemies ;  it  is  deep 
and  large,  fit  for  great  armies  to  meet  and  fight  in; 
fire  and  much  wood  to  consume  the  carcasses  slain 
there;  the  breath  of  the  Lord  like  a  stream  of  brim- 
stone doth  kindle  it,  Isa.  xxx.  33  (not  a  stream  of 
fire  and  brimstone,  but  like  it;)  the  destruction 
being  from  God  was  great  and  terrible,  or  fire  and 
brimstone  shall  be  sent  from  heaven  to  destroy  them 
there,  as  Ezek.  xxxiii.  18.  Dan.  vii.  10.  Gen.  xix. 
24.  Tophet  is  another  of  their  chief  proofs  of  the 
torments  of  hell,  and  with  that  which  is  said,  it  is 
shaken  and  removed. 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  21 

Section  VI.  Of  Isaiah  Ixvi.  24.  TJiey  shall  go 
forth,  and  look  upon  the  men  that  have  transgressed 
against  me,  for  their  worm  shall  not  die,  neither 
shall  their  fire  he  quenched ;  and  they  shall  he  an 
abhorring  to  all  flesh. 

This  place  is  not  to  be  understood  of  any  punish- 
ment after  this  life,  because  it  saith  their  carrasses 
shall  lie  to  be  seen,  and  others  shall  look  upon  them. 
In  hell  they  will  confess  the  carcasses  of  the  wicked 
are  not  now,  nor  hereafter  shall  be;  for  a  carcass  is 
without  life,  therefore  not  capable  of  suffering.  If 
they  say,  at  the  end  of  the  world  soul  and  body  shall 
be  united  to  suffer,  how  is  it  then  a  carcass  after  the 
end  of  the  world?  How  shall  they  be  an  abhorring 
to  all  flesh.'*  for  then  there  will  be  no  flesh  to  go 
forth  to  look  upon  them.  The  late  Annotations  on 
the  Bible,  on  Isaiah  Ixvi.  24,  say,  the  carcasses  are 
the  forces  of  Gog  and  Magog,  which  shall  be  slain 
near  Jerusalem,  aS  Ezek.  xxxix.  4,  10,  and  xxxviii. 
18,23,  containeth,  and  is  apparent;  for  after  the 
slaughter  is  made  of  them,  they  shall  lie  a  long  time 
unburied,  and  seven  months  shall  the  children  of  Israel 
be  in  burying  them,  that  they  may  cleanse  the  land,  Ezek. 
xxxix.  11,  12.  Also  the  judgments  inflicted  upon 
them  show  it  to  be  in  this  life,  diS  pestilence,  overflow- 
ing rain,  great  hail-stones ,  fire  and  brimstone,  Ezek. 
xxxviii.  22.  And  the  end  for  which  God  punished 
them,  shows  it  to  be  in  this  life;  which^vas,  that  God 
might  be  magnified,  and  sanctified  in  the  eyes  of 
many  nations;  after  the  end  of  the  world  he  cannot 
be  sanctified  in  the  eyes   of  any,    much   less   many 


22  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

nations.  The  worm  hath  reference  to  those  that  are 
bred  and  fed  upon  dead  bodies,  as  Acts  xii.  23, 
especially  such  as  lie  long  upon  the  ground,  until 
they  rot  and  become  as  carrion.  Job  xxi.  26.  Isaiah 
xiv.  11.  The  fire  hath  reference  to  the  burning  of 
those  bodies,  not  fit  to  be  stirred  and  removed;  but 
to  be  consumed  by  fire  in  the  place  where  they  lay. 
Isa.  ix.  5.  Ezek.  xxxix.  6,  that  lie  rotting  upon 
the  face  of  the  earth,  until  they  crawl  all  over  with 
worms  and  maggots.  The  sight  of  such  is  a  loath- 
some spectacle;  therefore  it  is  said  they  shall  be  an 
abhorring  to  all  flesh.  The  Greek  renders  it  a 
sight  or  spectacle;  it  hath  relation  to  Tophet,  before 
mentioned.  The  Hebrew  doctors  say  the  same  on 
this  place;  they  shall  go  forth  out  of  Jerusalem  into 
the  valley  of  Hinnom,  and  there  they  shall  see  the 
carcasses  of  those  that  rebelled  against  me.  So  D. 
Chimchi,  and  M.  Ezr.  in  loc. 

The  worm  that  shall  not  die,  and  the  fire  that 
shall  not  be  quenched,  is  in  this  life,  and  not,  as  they 
say,  in  hell,  Mark  ix.  44,46.  Rev.  xiv.  10,  11. 
Ezek.  iii.  &c.  Ezek.  xxxviii.  22,  concern  the  de- 
struction of  Gog  and  Magog,  as  hath  been  showed. 

Section  VII.  Concerning  Mat.  v.  26.  They  shall 
not  come  out  thence  till  they  have  paid  the  utmost 
farthing. 

This  place  Mr.  Leigh  doth  allege  to  prove  hell- 
torments,  and  the  Papists  allege  it  to  prove  their 
purgatory,  and  to  as  much  purpose;  for  ver.  25,  26, 
is  Christ's  counsel  to  avoid  differences,  and  to  com- 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  33 

pose  them  that  fall  out  between  man  and  man  in  this 
life,  to  prevent  suits  in  law,  and  imprisonment;  so 
vthe  text  shows,  and  Chrysostom  exj)ounds  it  so. — 
The  word  in  the  Greek  is  an  adversary  of  the  law, 
Prov.  vi.  3;  Luke  xii.  58,  mention  is  made  of  the 
magistrate  and  gaoler,  which  are  terms  and  offices 
properly  fitting  the  business  of  this  life;  a  like  place 
is  Mat.  xviii.  34.  To  understand  Mat.  v.  of  an  end- 
less hell,  doth  imply  free  will,  and  falling  from  grace; 
and  that  suffering  in  hell  is  a  satisfaction  and  pay- 
ment of  the  debt,  they  will  confess.  In  hell  there 
is  no  gaol  delivery,  nor  any  redemption;  therefore 
it  suits  not  to  their  purpose.  It  is  conceived,  that 
hell  is  deep  within  the  earth;  reason  concludes  it 
must  be  dark;  the  grave  is  called  the  land  of  dark- 
ness, Job  X.  21,  22.  The  cruelty  of  the  enemy  is 
called  thick  darhiess,  Joel  ii.  2.  The  Greek  [loets 
say  it  is  dark;  they  compare  the  darkness  thereof  to 
a  certain  territory  that  lies  between  the  Baice  and 
Cumcd,  where  the  Cimmeria  inhabit,  so  environed 
with  hills,  that  the  sun  never  came  to  it;  whereupon 
the  proverb  comes,  darker  than  the  darkness  of  Cim- 
meria;  but  the  chief  cause  is,  because  they  are  in 
darkness  without  the  light  of  the  word;  for  darkness 
is  in  this  life.  We  cannot  order  our  speech  by  rea- 
son of  darkness.  Job  xxxvii.  19.  Where  no  light 
is,  there  is  utter  darkness  ;  IVhen  the  eye  is  evil,  the 
whole  body  is  full  of  darkness,  Mat.  vi.  23.  The 
dark  places  of  the  earth,  full  of  cruelty,  Psalm  Ixxiv. 
20.  Ignorant  men  are  in  the  dark,  and  full  of 
works  of  darkness,  Rom.  xiii.  12,  that  would  have 
others  tormented  with  cruel  tortures  and  death,  be- 


24  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

cause  not  of  their  opinion  on  religion.  All  uncon- 
verted men  are  in  darkness ;  they  are  of  the  night, 
1  Thcs.  V.  5.  Christ  is  the  light,  and  saints  are  the 
children  of  the  light:  What  communion  hath  light 
with  darkness'^  2  Cor.  vi.  14.  Darkness  covered 
the  earth,  till  Christ  the  light  came,  to  give  light  to 
them  that  sat  in  darkness,  [sa.  Ix.  2.  Luke  i.  79. 
Who  hath  delivered  us  from  the  power  of  darkness, 
Col.  i.  13.  Who  hath  called  us  out  of  darkness  into 
his  marvellous  light,  1  Pet.  ii.  9.  The  people  that 
sat  in  darkness  saw  a  great  light,  and  to  them  that  sat 
in  the  region  and  shadow  of  death,  light  is  sprung  up, 
Mat.  iv.  16.  Ye  were  sometimes  darkness,  but  now 
are  ye  light  in  the  Lord,  Eph.  v.  8.  The  chains  of 
darkness  are  not  material  chains,  but  so  called, 
because  they  are  fast  in  darkness,  and  cannot  get 
out.  The  law  worketh  wrath;  when  that  cometh 
tnto  a  dark  and  ignorant  soul,  it  causeth  weeping  and 
gnashing  of  teeth,  Luke  xiii.  28,  being  sad  and  com- 
fortless. 

Section  VIII.     Of  burning  the  Tares.  Mat.  xiii.  30. 

This  is  to  be  done  at  the  end  of  the  world,  ver.  39. 
The  tares  are  the  wicked,  the  harvest  is  the  end 
of  the  world  ;  by  which  it  appears,  the  wicked  with 
the  earth  shall  be  consumed  by  fire,  ver.  40,  42. 
2  Pet.  iii.  7.  Are  any  so  weak,  as  to  imagine  the 
earth  will  always  burn,  and  never  be  consumed?  I 
have  seen  a  man  burned  to  ashes  in  an  hour  in  our 
coal  fire  :  they  say  our  fire  is  but  painted  fire  to  that 
in  hell;  if  so,  then  it  will  of  necessity  follow,  that 
so  much  as  that  fire  is  hotter  than  our  fire,  so  much 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  25 

the  sooner  shall  the  body  be  burned  and   consumed 
in  that  more  fierce  and  terrible  fire. 


Section  IX.    The  Wrath  to  come.     1  Thes.  i.  10. 
Mat.  iii.  7. 

The  late  Annotations  on  the  Bible  say,  they  were 
to  fill  up  a  full  measure  of  their  own  and  their 
fathers'  sins,  because  God  intended  to  sweep  them 
away  by  the  hand  of  the  Romans,  to  cut  them  off  by 
a  temporal  death,  which  was  the  wrath  to  come,  to 
fill  up  their  sins;  /(w  the  wrath  is  (not  shall)  come 
upon  them  to  the  uttermost,  1  Thes.  ii.  16.  We  are  by 
nature  the  children  of  wrath,  that  is,  liable  to 
wrath,  inward  and  outward:  Thy  wrath  lieth  hard 
upon  me,  Psalm  Ixxxviii.  7.  The  wrath  of  God  is 
the  hiding  of  his  face,  Isa.  liv.  8.  Outward  Wrath 
is  temporal  destruction;  he  cast  upon  them  the  fierce- 
ness of  his  wrath.  Psalm  Ixxviii.  49.  Destroyed 
them,  Deut.  vii.  10.  Lev.  x.  6.  Josh.  ix.  20;  xxii.  22. 
Ezek.  xxv.  7.    2  Chron.  xix.  10.    Psalm  xc.  6,  7. 

Section  X.     Of  the  word,  Cursed. 

It  is  to  be  barren ;  so  the  earth  and  fig-tree  were 
cursed,  Mat.  xxt.  20.  It  is  to  be  a  servant  of  servants, 
Gen.  ix.  25.  Josh.  ix.  23.  It  is  to  want  prosperity, 
Deut.  xxxviii.  16 — 19.  It  also  signifieth  to  die  a 
violent  and  disgraceful  death,  2  Kings  ii.  24.  Deut. 
xxi.  23;  to  be  a  fugitive,  a  wanderer,  Psalm  lix. 
12 — 15;  to  eat  in  sorrow,  Gen.  iii.  17;  and  to  endure 

pain  and  hardship. 

3* 


26  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 


Section  XI.     Of  Eternal  Damnation. 

The  word  damned,  Mark  xvi.  16,  Rom,  xiv.  23, 
in  Greek  is  judged ;  damnation  is  judgment;  eternal 
damnation  is  eternal  judgment.  A  judgment  is  a 
sentence;  the  sentence  is  to  a  second  death,  called 
eternal,  because  it  is  not  to  be  reversed. 


Section  XII.     Of  the  word,  Reprobate. 

This  word  in  the  Greek  signifieth  one  of  no  judg- 
ment: a  reprobate  mind  is  a  mind  void  of  judgment; 
see  Rom.  i.  28.  2  Tim.  iii.  8.  Titus  i.  16.  See  the 
notes  in  the  margin. 

Section  XIII.      Of  the  word.  Fire. 

Fire  is  put  for  fiery  trials,  1  Pet.  iv.  12.  Inward 
troubles, — fire  in  mij  bones.  Lam.  i.  13;  ii.  4.  The 
tongue  is  a  fire,  James  iii.  6.  His  word  is  a  fire, 
Jer.  xxiii.  29.  God's  spirit  is  fire  Bajytizedivithfii'ej 
Mat.  iii.  11.      God  is  a  consuming  fire ,  Heb.  xii.  29. 

Bellarmine  and  Bullinger,  and  others,  say  the  fire 
of  hell  is  material  fire,  kindled  with  wood,  and  allege 
in  support  of  this  opinion  Isa.  xxx.  33;  Ixvi.  24. 
The  fire  of  hell  is  true  and  substantial  fire,  kept 
under  the  earth,  to  punish  withal,  saith  Tortullian. 

But  the  fire  of  hell  cannot  be  corporeal  fire,  for  the 
following  reasons: 

1.  Our  lire  is  corporeal;  they  say  our  fire  is  but 
painted  fire,  a  shadow  to  that;  therefore  that  is  not 
corporeal  fire. 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  27 

2.  Corporeal  elementary  fire  is  light,  and  enlight- 
ens the  place  where  it  is;  in  hell  they  say  is  utter 
darkness.  If  so,  tlie  fire  of  hell  is  not  corporeal  fire. 

3.  Corporeal  fire  consumes  speedily  all  combustible 
matter  cast  into  it:  they  say  the  fire  of  hell  ever 
burneth,  and  never  consumeth  that  which  is  cast 
into  it;   therefore  it  is  not  corporeal  fire. 

4.  They  say  the  fire  of  hell  is  invisible ;  then  it  is 
not  corporeal;  for  that  which  is  corporeal  may  be 
seen. 

5.  Corporeal  fire  may  be  quenched:  the  fire  of 
hell,  they  say,  is  unquenchable;  therefore  it  is  not 
corporeal  fire. 

6.  Corporeal  fire  goeth  out  without  wood  :  theirs 
doth  not;  therefore  it  is  not  corporeal  fire. 

7.  They  say  the  fire  of  hell  is  eternal;  if  so,  it 
is  not  corporeal:  corporeal  fire  is  seen,  and  things 
seen  are  not  eternal. 

8.  They  say  the  absence  of  God  is  the  greatest 
torment  in  hell:  corporeal  fire  is  a  greater  torment 
to  the  body  than  the  absence  of  God. 

Lastly,  Corporeal  fire  cannot  work  upon  a  spirit; 
the  devils  are  spirits,  and  therefore  cannot  be  tor- 
mented with  corporeal  fire,  saith  Willet,  Synop.  p. 
1023.  To  say  God  is  able  to  make  corporeal  fire 
work  upon  a  spirit,  and  able  to  make  men  to  live 
without  food  or  refreshment  to  eternity,  and  to  make 
fire  burn  without  wood,  is  no  proof  that  he  will  do 
so;  and  it  is  as  silly  a  kind  of  reasoning,  as  to  say 
God  is  able  to  do  all  things — with  God  all  things  are 
possible,  therefore  he  will  do  all  things.  Men  should 
not  build  their  vain  conceits  upon  God's  power,  with- 
out his  word. 


28  TORMENTS    OF    HELL, 

Others  say,  the  fire  of  hell  is  not  corporeal,  but 
spiritual  fire.  But  this  cannot  be  true;  for  there  is 
no  spiritual  fire:  if  it  ceaseth  to  be  natural  fire,  it 
ceaseih  to  be  true  fire.  It  cannot  be  spiritual,  be- 
cause they  say  it  is  natural;  it  cannot  be  natural, 
because  they  say  it  is  spiritual;  it  cannot  be  either 
of  them,  because  they  say  it  is  partly  corporeal  and 
partly  spiritual,  the  one  to  burn  the  body,  and  the 
other  to  burn  the  soul.  Hell-flames  are  material, 
yet  not  all  material,  saith  Willet,  Synop.  p.  1010. 
If  so,  there  are  two  fires  in  hell.  Bernard  saith, 
fire  shall  burn  thy  flesh,  and  a  worm  thy  spirit,  con- 
science accusing.  Isidore  saith,  their  minds  burn 
with  sorrow,  and  their  bodies  with  the  flames. 

Others  again  say,  hell-fire  is  neither  material  nor 
spiritual,  nor  mixed,  but  metaphorical,  figurative:  so 
Austin,  and  some  of  the  modern  preachers  say. 
Calvin  thinks  that  there  is  no  true  fire  in  hell;  for, 
saith  he,  the  wood  and  worm  are  to  be  taken  meta- 
phorically: but  saith  another,  that  the  fire  is  to  be  so 
taken,  I  utterly  deny. 


TORMENTS   OF    HELL.  29 

CHAPTER  II. 

Ten  Opinions  of  the  Learned  of  the  Place  of  Hell. 

1.  Edward  Leigh,  Hugo,  and  others,  say,  hell  is 
a  bottomless  pit;  but  there  is  no  place  without  a 
bottom.  [The  expression  is  a  figure.] 

2.  It  is  generally  agreed,  that  hell  is  in  the  lower 
parts  of  the  earth;  but  where  those  lower  parts  are, 
Mr.  Perkins  on  the  creed  saith,  no  man  is  able  to 
define.  The  lower  parts  of  the  earth  is  a  great  abase- 
ment, saith  Dr.  Fulke  on  Phil.  ii.  7;  the  lowest  de- 
gree of  Christ's  humiliation,  Eph.  iv.  9.  One  part 
of  the  earth  is  not  put  in  opposition  to  another  part 
thereof,  but  to  heaven,  Psalm  ciii.  11.  David  saith, 
thou  hast  fashioned  me  in  the  lowest  parts  oj  the  earthy 
Psalm  cxxxix.  15.    Was  David  born  inhell.^* 

3.  Bishop  Bilson,  Mr.  Wheatly,  and  others,  say, 
hell  is  below;  but  how  many  miles  it  is  to  hell  they 
do  not  say,  nor  can  they  tell. 

4.  Bellarmine,  Lyra,  and  others,  say,  hell  is  in 
the  earth,  near  the  centre  thereof;  if  so,  ye  may 
know  how  far  it  is  to  hell,  the  earth  beino:  round,  the 
circumference  thereof  being  twenty  one  thousand 
and  six  hundred  miles;  the  whole  consisting  of  360 
degrees  at  60  miles  a  degree:  the  diameter  of  the 
terrestrial  globe  is  six  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
eighty-two  miles  and  one  eleventh;  so  that  to  the 
centre  or  middle  point  is  three  thousand  three  hun- 
dred and  ninety-one  miles  and  a  fraction;  being  the 
distance  of  the  centre  of  hell  from  the  surface  of  the 
earth.  But  in  the  day  of  judgment,  when  the  earth 
shall  be  consumed  with  fire,  as  2  Pet.   iii.  7,  where 


30  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

shall  hell  be?     It  surely  cannot  be  in  the   centre   of 
the  earth,  when  there  is  no  earth. 

5.  Mr.  Leigh  and  others  say,  hell  is  a  lake;  the 
lake  is  a  sea,  as  appears  Luke  v.  1,  2,  where  the 
swine  were  choked,  Luke  viii,  33,  whose  common 
depth  is  not  half  a  mile.  Men  seek  hell  in  the  bot- 
tom of  the  sea,  because  they  know  not  where  to  find 
it.  Hell  cannot  be  the  lake,  because  hell  was  cast 
into  the  lake,  Rev.  xx.  14. 

6.  Others  say,  hell  is  in  the  air,  the  Devil  is  the 
Prince  that  ruleth  in  the  air,  Eph.  ii.  2.  The  air, 
then,  is  the  Devil's  hell,  saith  Willet,  Syno'p.  p. 
1018.  If  so,  then  all  we  that  are  alive  are  in  hell; 
we  do  not  find  it  a  place  of  so  great  torment,  for  al- 
most all  men  like  it  well,  for  they  desire  to  dwell 
there. 

7.  Others  say,  hell  is  above,  near  the  third  heav- 
ens, within  the  yiew  of  the  glorious  saints,  and  al- 
lege for  it  Isa.  Ixvi.  24,  Rev.  xiv.  10.  If  so,  it  is 
very  far  to  hell.  Astronomers  say,  that  there  are 
three  heavens  above  the  firmament:  where  the  fix- 
ed stars  are  is  116,000,000  of  miles  above  the 
earth;  which  is  so  high,  that  if  a  stone  or  weight 
should  fall  from  thence,  and  continue  falling  an  hun- 
dred and  fifty  miles  an  hour,  it  would  be  eighty-eight 
years,  two  weeks,  four  days,  five  hours,  and  twenty 
minutes  in  falling  down  to  the  earth. 

8.  Some  say,  the  absence  of  God's  face  is  hell; 
but  that  is  not  called  hell,  but  wrath,  Isa.  liv.  8. 
This  was  Cain's  punishment;  Fr^om  thy  face  shall  I 
be  hid;  my  punishment  is  greater  than  I  can  bear, 
Gen.  iv.  13,  14.  The  hiding  of  God's  face  causeth 
sadness,  and  the  breaking  of  the  bones  of  comfort, 
Psalm  li.   8.     Behold  his  eyelids  try  the  children  of 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  31 

men,  Psalm  xi.  4.  If  shut,  they  are  troubled;  if 
open,  they  are  comforted. 

9.  Some  say,  hell  is  in  this  life,  and  is  a  guilty, 
accusing  conscience.  Dr.  Willet  saith,  a  guilty 
troubled  conscience  is  a  hell  and  prison  of  the  soul. 
What  may  rather  be  called  hell,  than  anguish  of  the 
soul"?  The  judge's  tribunal  is  in  the  soul;  God  sit- 
teth  there  as  Judge;  the  conscience  is  the  accuser, 
fear  is  the  tormentor.  Guilt  in  the  soul  wounds  the 
spirit;  a  wounded  spirit  who  can  bear?  Prov.  xviii. 
14.  The  sph'its  in  prison,  1  Pet.  iii.  19.  This  is 
the  wrath  of  God,  that  abideth  upon  him  who  believ- 
eth  not  in  the  Son,  John  iii.  36.  Heaven  is  God's 
face  and  presence,  and  our  greatest  joy  in  this  life, 
Exod.  xxxiii.  15,  16,  and  so  will  be  in  the  next, 
Psalm  xvi.  11.      Thou  wilt  Jill  me  with  the  joy  of  thy, 

face:  in  thy  presence  is  fulness  of  joy.  Acts  ii.  28. 
Pleasures  or  pleasantness,  that  is,  pleasant  joys  at 
thy  right  hand;  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  thee  are 
sweet  delights  eternal.  Some  say  hell  is  a  local 
place;  Augustine  saith,  it  is  not  a  place.  Dr.  Willet 
saith,  the  place  of  hell  maketh  not  the  torments.  It 
is  a  question,  saith  he,  whether  the  place  make  hell, 
or  the  al^sence  of  the  presence  of  God.  Sijnop.  p. 
1056. 

10.  Another  saith,  hell  is  on  the  other  side  of  the 
blue  cloud  that  appeareth  to  us  in  the  air.  Others 
say,  where  the  place  of  hell  is  they  cannot  tell, 
whether  it  be  in  the  earth,  or  in  the  water,  or  in  the 
air.  It  is  not  revealed,  saith  Greenwood;  they  that 
have  taken  pains  to  find  it  out,  are  as  far  from  it  as 
ever.  Some  of  the  ministeis  in  France  affirm,  that 
Father  Cotton,  the  Jesuit,  did  inquire  of  the  Devil 


32  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

for  a  plain  place  of  Scripture  to  prove  purgatory ; 
so  they  are  at  as  great  a  loss  to  prove  hell  by  a 
plain  place  of  Scripture  truly  translated,  their  hell 
of  torments  never  to  end.  Also  the  learned  do  not 
agree  upon  what  Scripture  to  ground  their  doctrine 
of  hell  torments;  for  that  place  which  one  of  them 
alleges  to  prove  it,  another  of  themselves  deny  it. 
That  it  is  so  to  be  understood,  Mr.  Ainsworth  on 
Psalm  xvi.  10,  saith,  that  place  through  custom  is 
taken  for  the  place  of  the  damned,  but  is  not  so  to 
be  understood,  the  word  being  sheol.  Marlorate  on 
Jlpoc.  p.  282,  saith,  the  fire  of  gehenna  is  the  place 
of  the  damned;  others  of  them  deny  it.*  Mr.  Leigh 
saith,  the  story  oil  Dives  proves  it;  Dr.  Fulke  and 
others  deny  it. 

See  ye  not  the  great  doubting  and  uncertainty 
they  are  at  among  themselves?  They  grope  in  the 
dark,  without  light,  Job  xii.  25;  by  their  reeling, 
staggering,  and  stumbling,  theyare  so  drunk,  that 
they  can  find  no  ground  to  stand  upon;  they  under- 
stand not  whereof  they  affirm,  yet  each  is  tenacious 
of  his  own  opinion.  It  is  very  strange,  that  in  a 
thing  so  signal,  of  which  they  say  they  see  it  in  the 
word  of  God,  they  can  in  no  way  agree  concerning 
it.  O,  ye  learned  in  the  seven  liberal  sciences,  tell 
us  how  to  reconcile  these  things  in  point  of  truth,  or 
tell  us,  inasmuch  as  ye  speak  contrarieties,  as  yea 
and  nay,  which  of  you  we  are  to  believe.  Have  we 
not  all  cause  to  say  herein.  Where  is  the  scrihel 
Where  is  the  disputer  of  this  world?  Hath  not  God 
madejoolish  the  wisdom  of  this  worldl  1  Cor.  i.  20. 
He  frustraleth  the  tokens  of  liars,  and  makelh  diviners 
mad,  and  turneth  wise  men  backwards,  and  makelh 
their  knowledge  foolishness,  Isa.  xliv.  25. 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  3?) 

CHAPTER  III. 

Mr.  Leigh's  proofs  of  Endless  Hell-torments  examined; 

Edward  Leigh,  Esq.  master  of  Magdalen  Hall,  in 
Oxford,  presents  his  reasons  to  prove  hell-torments, 
or  punishment  after  this  life,  for  some  to  endure, 
never  to  end;  let  them  be  considered. 

1.  Mr.  Leigh  saith,  the  conscience  that  men  have 
a  fear  of  some   punishment  after  this  life,  proves  it. 

Jinsiver.  If  they  have,  that  doth  not  prove  it;  be- 
cause the  conscience  of  men  are  as  they  are  instruct- 
ed, according  to  the  proverb,  such  doctor,  such  schol- 
ar. Hence  it  is  that  the  conscience  of  a  Papist  tells 
him  it  is  not  lawful  to  eat  flesh  in  Lent,  nor  on  Fri- 
day. And  whoso  killeth  you,  will  think  he  doth  God 
service,  John  xxi.  2,  that  is  his  conscience.  The  con- 
sciences of  some  men  are  almost,  if  not  altogether, 
for  some  evil;  therefore  the  doctrine  cannot  be  thus 
proved. 

2.  Mr.  Leigh  saith,  the  heathen  held  there  was  a 
hell,  a  being  and  place  for  wicked  men  after  this  life. 

Ans.  Why  did  ye  not  say  and  prove  that  they 
held  such  persons  shall  be  in  torments,  never  to 
end?  The  heathen  do  not  believe  that  there  is  to  be 
such  a  punishment  after  this  life;  for  they  deny  the 
resurrection  of  the  body,  therefore  they  burn  the 
body,  and  save  the  ashes  in  an  urn  for  a  memorial. 
They  believe,  as  Pythagoras  the  philosopher  taught, 
that  the  soul  goeth  from  one  body  into  another  man 
or  beast;  so  that  some  of  the  philosophers  grew  so 
4 


34  TORMENTS    OP    HELL. 

tender,  that  they  would  not  kill  any  beast  or  fowl; 
for  they  said,  it  may  be  my  brother  or  my  sister. 
These  heathen  Greek  poets  were  long  belore  the 
coming  of  Christ;  in  their  treble  division  jf  the 
world,  they  feign  three  gods,  Jupiter,  the  god  of 
heaven,  Neptune,  the  god  of  the  sea,  and  Pluto,  the 
god  of  the  earth,  in  which  they  say  he  keeps  his  court 
and  palace;  (no  word  of  torment — that  would  make 
it  a  poor  court  and  palace;)  so  Homer  and  JVoninus, 
Greek  poets.  Homer  wrote  of  the  destruction  of 
Troy,  which  was  near  a  thousand  years  be;  re  the 
birth  of  Christ.  Homer  is  one  of  the  most  ancient 
records  extant.  It  seems  in  his  time  there  v/as  no 
mention  of  a  hell  of  torments  never  to  end.  Tho  afore* 
said  poets  call  Pluto  Siimmanus,  as  being  chief  of  the 
manes,  or  spirits  below.  To  pacify  these  ill  spirits, 
a  feast  was  kept  in  February,  with  wax-<'andles 
burning  to  Pluto,  called  Candlemas  day;  so  JMr.  Jess 
injhis  almanac.  The  Cretians  are  always  liars,  Titus 
i.  12,  the  greatest  liars  in  the  world,  that  will  fancy, 
feign,  and  say  anything.  Is  it  a  thing  possiile,  that 
wax- candles  above  the  earth,  should  give  liglit  thou- 
sands of  miles  into  the  earth,  to  pacify  those  ill  spir- 
its there?  It  seems  they  are  not  in  any  great  tor- 
ment, if  a  little  light  will  pacify  them. 

The  poets  say,  hell  is  twice  as  deep  as  heaven  is 
high.  Astronomers  say,  Jupiter,  the  second  planet, 
is  seventy-two  inillions  of  miles  above  the  eai.th.  If 
hell  be  twice  as  deep,  it  is  a  hundred  and  forty-four 
millions  of  miles  to  hell,  which  is  fabulous.  So  are 
Cerberus'  three  heads,  and  Charon's  boat  ^o  row 
men  to- Pluto.     So  the  phantasy  of  pui gat ory  did 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  35 

first  spring  from  the  heathen  poets  long  before,  the 
coming  of  Christ,  as  appears  by  Plato  and  Virgil, 
who  have  described  at  large  the  whole  common- 
wealth, and  all  the  orders  and  degrees  of  purgatory. 
These,  with  their  Elysiau  fields,  and  many  other  of 
their  barbarisms,  by  long  use  became  venerable. 

Your  opinion  is  fitter  for  heathens  than  for  Chris- 
tians; if  the  heathen  do  hold  as  you  do,  are  we  to 
believe  in  religion  as  the  heathen?  I  care  not  what 
they  or  any  others  say,  unless  they  can  read  it  me  in 
the  word  of  God.  We  cry,  to  the  law  and  to  the  testimO' 
ny ;  if  they  speak  not  according  to  this  word,  it  is  be- 
cause there  is  no  light  in  them.      Xsa.  viii.  20. 

3.  Mr.  Leigh  saith,  clear  reason  proves  it.  God 
is  just;  many  abominable  sinners  enjoy  more  pros- 
perity in  this  life,  than  those  that  live  far  more  in- 
nocently; and  they  must  be  punished  hereafter,  ac- 
cording to  the  multitude  and  heinousness  of  their 
sins.  Psalm  Ixxiii.  17. 

Ans.  I  see  you  are  more  bold  to  affirm,  than  able 
to  prove. 

Doth  reason  deny  the  punishment  to  be  just,  except 
it  never  end?  The  Scriptures  which  you  allege,  say 
that  punishment  shall  have  an  end;  and  you  say  it 
shall  never  have  an  end;  and  that  is  your  clear  rea- 
son. To  say  some  are  worse  than  others,  therefore 
they  are  to  suffer  a  punishment  never  to  end,  so  you 
exclude  Mary  Magdalen  and  the  poor  Prodigal;  but 
it  is  your  bare  affirmation  without  proof.  Your  rea- 
son is,  that  God  should  show  mercy  to  little  sinners, 
but  none  to  the  great  sinners;  they  must  not  be 
saved;  but  this  your  clear  reason  is   clear  against 


36  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

the  .will  and  wisdom  of  God,  who  is  pleased  to  save 
the  worst  of  sinners,  as  appears,  l.uke  vii.  47; 
1  Tim.  i.  15;  Acts  ix.  13 — 15.  If  some  enjoy  more 
prosperity  than  others,  must  they  therefore  suffer  a 
punishment  never  to  end?  Outward  prosperity  is  a 
great  blessing;  but  you  make  it  a  great  curse.  If 
what  you  say  were  true,  there  is  no  cause  in  the 
day  of  prosperity  to  rejoice,  Eccl.  vii.  14,  nor  to  say, 
O  Lord,  I  beseech  thee  send  me  now  prosperity, 
Psalm  cxviii.  25.  In  saying  greater  sinners,  you 
judge  according  to  outward  appearances  both  for  sin 
and  punishment,  and  may  be  mistaken  in  both,  what 
they  are  in  the  inner  man,  for  sin  and  punishment; 
you  know  not  the  heart  of  unbelief  and  rebellion  of 
spirit  in  others,  nor  how  God  punisheth  them  in 
their  spirits.      Sin  is  punished  in  this  life. 

4.  Mr.  Leigh  saith,  it  is  just  that  those  should 
suffer  forever,  who  if  they  had  lived  would  have 
sinned  forever.  Cast  them  out  of  my  sight,  Jer. 
XV.   1. 

Ans.  If  it  be  just  that  we  should  suffer  forever,  it 
is  just  that  our  surety  should  suffer  forever.  Do 
you  consider  that  the  creature  ivas  made  subject  to 
vanity,  not  willingly,  but  by  reason  of  him  who  hath 
subjected  the  same  in  hope"?    Rom.  viii.  20. 

Cast  them  out  of  my  sight,  is  no  proof  that  they 
shall  suffer  forever,  but  rather  that  they  shall  be 
utterly  destroyed;  for  if  they  have  any  being,  where- 
ever  they  be,  they  carfnot  be  out  of  the  sight  of 
God;  your  justice  is  not  God's:  his  is  a  death; 
your's  is  not  a  death,  but  another  thing. 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  37 

6.  Mr.  Leigh  saith,  God's  intentions  from  ever- 
lasting were  to  glorify  his  justice  as  well  as  his 
mercy,  Rom.  ix.  21,  23,  fitted  to  destruction. 

Ans.  Know  you  anything  of  God's  intention  that 
is  not  revfealed  in  his  word?  Deut.  xxix.  29.  Or 
doth  the  word  say  that  God  doth  not  glorify  his  jus- 
tice, unless  he  inflict  so  great  a  punishment  without 
end  ?  You  give  neither  scripture  nor  reason  to  prove 
what  you  say  is  just.  The  justice  of  God  was  re- 
vealed and  made  known,  in  causing  the  earth  to 
swallow  up  Korah  and  his  company;  they  were 
vessels  of  wrath  prepared,  fitted  to  destruction; 
your  opinion  denies  the  word  of  God,  that  saith  they 
are  fitted  to  destruction  ;  for  you  say  they  are  never 
to  be  destroyed,  die,  nor  end. 

6.  Mr.  Leigh  saith,  the  covenant  under  which 
unregenerate  men  stand,  and  by  which  they  are 
bound  over  to  this  wrath,  is  everlasting. 

Ans.  There  are  but  two  covenants,  Gal.  iv.  24, 
the  old  and  the  new,  Heb.  viii.  13,  and  xii.24.  The 
old  is  no  more  everlasting  than  the  priesthood  of  it; 
the  breach  of  the  covenant  of  works  is  death,  there- 
fore not  eternal  life  in  misery. 

7.  Mr.  Leigh  saith,  in  that  torment  they  curse 
and  accuse  one  another. 

Ans.  When  you  write  again,  I  pray  tell  us  how 
you  know  that  in  hell  they  do  so ;  for  the  word  of 
God  saith  not  so ;  nor  have  you  been  there  to  hear 
it,  nor  have  they  that  told  you  so.  To  affirm  things 
in  religion,  not  revealed  in  the  word  of  God,  is  to 
presume  above  that  which  is  written,    and  contrary 

to  1  Cor.  X.  11,  Rom.  XV.  4.     Socrates,   a  heathen 

*4 


38  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

philosopher,  was  more  wise  and  modest  in  not  affirm- 
ing things  which  he  knew  not;  being  asked  what  was 
done  in  hell,  he  said  he  never  went  thither,  nor  com- 
muned with  any  that  came  from  thence;  yet  you  and 
others  affirm  with  great  boldness  and  confidence 
things  which  you  know  not.  Some  say,  in  hell  the 
eye  is  afflicted  with  darkness,  whereas  darkness  is 
no  affliction  to  the  eye;  also  they  say,  their  ears  are 
afflicted  with  horrible  and  hideous  outcries,  their 
noses  with  poisonous  and  stinking  smells,  (of  what, 
1  pray  ?)  their  tongues  with  bitterness  as  of  gall, 
the  whole  body  with  intolerable  fire.  The  damned 
shall  prize  a  drop  of  water  worth  ten  thousand 
worlds;  cursing  shall  be  their  tunes,  blasphemies 
their  ditties,  lamentations  their  songs,  and  shrieking 
their  strains;  they  shall  lie  shrieking  and  screaming 
continually.  Ye  see  how  men  sat  their  brains  at 
work  to  invent  lies ;  for  all  they  say  is  without  war- 
rant from  the  word  of  God.  One  saith,  their  tor- 
ment in  hell  is  so  great,  that  they  cannot  forbear 
roaring;  and  you  say  they  curse  and  accuse  one 
another:  so  that  one  of  their  vain  imaginations  con- 
tradicts another,  and  all  of  them  the  word  of  God. 
They  will  not  deny  that  those  in  hell  are  in  the  great- 
est trouble;  and  yet  they  cannot  speak,  when  in  less 
trouble;  I  am  so  troubled  I  cannot  speak.  Psalm 
Ixxvii.  4;  therefore  they  cannot  curse  and  accuse 
one  another,  as  you  affirm. 

8.  Mr.  Leigh  saith,  divines  unanimously  con- 
cur, &c. 

Ans.  If  they  do,  it  is  not  binding  to  us;  for  we 
are  satisfied  they  are  not  infallible.     There  must  be 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  .  39 

errorSj  1  Cor.  xi.  19;  they  have  the  greatest  share. 
The  priests,  Popish  and  Mahometan  priests,  Baal's 
priests,  and  all  other  sorts  .of  priests,  concur;  conn- 
mon  consent  is  sooner  believed  than  naked  truth;  it 
is  high  time  to  cease  from  man,  for  ivherein  is  he 
to  be  accounted  ofl  Isa.  ii.  22.  Truth,  and  not  any 
number  of  men,  is  to  be  followed.  Every  one  must 
give  an  account  of  himself  to  God,  Rom.  xiv.  3,  11,  12. 
Luther  said,  he  esteemed  not  the  worth  of  a  rush 
a  thousand  Augustines  and  Cyprians  against  him- 
self; all  churches  err.  Panormitan  said,  more 
credit  is  to  be  given  to  one  speaking  the  truth,  than 
to  all  men  in  all  ages  speaking  the  contrary. 

They  are  likely  to  concur  and  agree,  if  they  take 
the  counsel  they  give,  as  not  to  question  principles. 
It  seems  we  must  take  all  upon  trust  and  hearsay, 
without  trial;  they  all  say  it,  therefore  it  is  true. 
But  the  Bereans  would  and  did  search  the  Scriptures 
to  see  if  the  things  were  so,  as  the  Apostles  preach- 
ed; see  1  John  iv.  1.  Acts  xvii  11. 

Let  it  be  certainly  made  to  appear  that  God  hath 
said  anything  contrary  to  anything  that  I  have  said, 
I  desire  with  all  my  heart  to  submit  to  it;  without 
that,  I  cannot  yield  the  sovereignty  of  my  judgment 
and  conscience  to  the  concurring  consent  of  blind 
guides,  ignorant  and  erroneous  men,  though  in 
sheep's  clothing,  and  covered  all  over  with  the  titles 
of  godly,  learned  and  holy  saints,  or  presbyters,  or 
ministers  of  Christ.  The  Papists  call  their  church, 
holy  church,  and  their  priests,  holy  priests,  and  their 
orders,  holy  orders,  and  all  holy,  if  you  will  believe 
them. 


40  1"0RMENTS    OF    HELL. 

Some  say,  the  Jews  report  that  in  Tophet,  the 
valley  of  the  son  of  Hinnom,  there  was  a  great  ditch, 
which  c6uld  never  be  filled;  that  they  calle4 this  the 
mouth  of  hell ;  and  that  the  Chaldeans,  when  they 
slew  the  Israelites,  threwthem  in  there.  If  this 
report  be  true,  which  hath  been  brought  to  prove* 
hell,  then  it  will  follow  that  the  mouth  of  hell  is  near 
Jerusalem,  and  that  God  doth  give  to  t-he  wicked 
power  to  cast  his  people  into  hell. 

How  much  weight  there  is  in  your  reasons  to 
prove  a  punishment  after  this  life  never  to  end,  let 
who  will  judge;  for  my  part,  I  profess  I  do  not  see* 
how  they  serve  to  your  purpose;  your  nakedness 
appears,  and  your  opinion  hath  neither  Scripture  nor 
reason  to  support  it,  and  therefore  it  liiust  needs 
fall,  2  Tim.  iii.  9.  You  have  done  all  you  can,  and 
can  come  to  no  surer  bottom  to  rest  upon,  tliansup- 
posals  and  imaginations,  wresting  Scriptures,  and 
consent  of  others;  your  glory  is,  that  all  are  of 
your  mind,  though  without  good  ground  or  reason, 
as  is  showed.  Also  in  that  you  allege  reasons  to 
prove  hell-torments,  it  giveth  me  occasion  to  believe 
that  in  your  own  judgment  the  scriptures  you  allege 
prove  it  not;  for  if  you  believe  the  Scriptures  prove 
it,  to  what  purpose  serve  your  reasons?  Or  do  you 
think  that  those  who  doubt  the  sufficiency  of  your 
proof  of  it  by  scripture,  will  be  satisfied  with  your 
reasons  as  a  full  proof  of  it?  If  there  be  any  such, 
they  may  be  to  them  of  some  use. 

The  learned  contradict  themselves.  Mr.  Bolton 
saith.  Thou  must  live  in  endless  woe  in  fire  an.d 
brimstone,  which  thou   mightest  so  often  and    so 


TORMENTS    OP    HELL.  41 

easily  escape,  which  overthrows  the  doctrine  of 
election..  Also  they  say,  the  sense  of  loss  in  hell 
is  greater  than  the  sense  of  pain;  so  they  make  the 
sensible  want  of  the  presence  of  God  the  greatest 
ferment  .in  hell,  and  that  is  in  this  life;  I  am  cast 
out  of  thy  sight,  Psalm  xxxix.  22 ;  it  foiloweth  by 
their  doctrine,  that  the  greatest  torment  of  hell  is  in 
this  life. 

'9.  Mr.  Leigh  saith,  in  his  Body  of  Divinity,  the 
sense  of  God's  wrath,  rage  of  conscience,  guilt, 
/ear,* despair,  the  soul  cannot  melt  with  greater  tor- 
ment. 

Ans.  If  this  .be  true,  then  there  is  not  a  worse 
torment  in  hell  than  in  this  life. 

Water  is  so  scarce  in  hell,  that  Greenwood 
saith,  the  damned  prize  a  drop  of  water  above  ten 
thousand  worlds ;  and  yet  they  affirm  those  in  hell 
shall  continually  weep,  &c.  Therefore  their  own 
sayings  agree  not. 

The  first  author  of  the  opinion  of  the  torments  of 
hell,  never  to  end,  was  Marcion,.  the  heretic,  who 
held,  that  Christ  was  not  a  man  only  in  semblance, 
and  that  there  were  two  beginnings,  two  Gods,  one 
good,  one  bad.  That  there  were  torments  for  some 
in  hell,  was  first  invented  by  him ;  he  determined 
the  reward  of  the  creature,  either  in  torment  or 
refreshment,  to  be  laid  up  for  them  in  hell.  He  was 
the  first  author  thereof,  by  Tertullian's  confession, 
as  saith  Dr.  Fulke  in  his  Defence,  pp.  83,  84.  See 
and  behold  the  original  of  your  opinion  of  the  tor- 
ments of  hell.  Jin  evil  man  out  of  the  evil  treasure  of 
his  heart,  bringeih  forth  that  which  is  evil,  Luke  vi.  45, 


42  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

The  Seven  Pillars  of  Hell  shaken  and  removed. 

1.  The  Greek  Fathers  were  the  first  pillar  of  hell- 
torments.  This  came  to  pass  by  reason  of  the  igno- 
rance of  the  Fathers  in  the  Hebrew  tongue ;  their 
not  understanding  the  word  sheol  deceived  them ;  so 
saith  Dr.  Fulke  in  his  Defence,  p.  77. 

2.  The  second  pillar  of  hell-torments  were  the 
writers  of  the  Hebrew  and  Greek  copies  of  the 
Bible  ;  their  defect  hath  put  us  to  a  great  loss.  The 
original  copy  which- the  Apostles  wi'ote  is  not  only 
unknown  to  us,  but  to  the  learned.  We  do  not  hear 
of  any  alive  in  England  who  can  produce  the  New 
Testament  which  the  Apostles  wrote.  It  is  not 
enough  that  they  say  we  have  books  in  Hebrew 
and  Greek,  unless  we  could  certainly  know  that 
these  copies,  as  they  call  them,  agree  word  for  word 
with  those  which  were  written  by  the  Prophets 
and  Apostles.  Many  boast  of  God's  preserving 
the  Hebrew  and  Greek  Bible  amidst  so  many  ene- 
mies; as  God  hath  been  pleased  to  deliver  up  Christ 
his  people,  so  also  the  Scriptures  into  the  hands  of 
sinners,  to  be  used  at  their  pleasure.  It  is  wonder- 
ful to  consider,  what  adding  and  altering  the  Scrip- 
tures have  been  subject  to;  one  Pope  publishes  what 
he  pleases  for  Scripture,  as  Pope  Urban  V.;  and 
within  two  years  Pope  Clement,  who  succeeded  him, 
calls  them  in  and  burns  them,  and  puts  out  what  he 
pleases,  and   calls  it  the  Holy  Scriptures.     If  you 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  43 

will  believe  the  testimony  of  the  learned  and  godly 
Protestant  writers,  who  have  not  been  esteemed 
blasphemous  nor  heretics,  as  Dr.  Fulke,  Mr.  Beza, 
Mr.  William  Perkins,  Dr.  Ames,  and  others;  Dr. 
Fulke  saith,  that  some  Greek  copies  are  altered,  it 
is  not  unlike,  in  his  Answer  to  the  Rhemist  to  the 
reader,  p.  43.  And  what  is  more,  he  saith,  corrup- 
tion hath  happened  to  all  copies  this  day  extant,  in 
his  Jlnsiver  to  Preface,  pp.  11,  15,  16.  Whole  verses 
are  omitted  in  some  copies;  1  John  v.  7,  is  not  in 
some  copies,  (the  Syriac,  which  is  as  ancient  as  the 
Apostles,  reading  not  this  verse  at  all,)  but  is  extant 
in  others.  There  are  at  least  sixteen  various  Greek 
copies  of  the  New  Testament,  Jus.  Divinum,  p.  66. 
Dr.  Lightfoot,  saith,  Mr.  Beza  was  a  man  that  always 
questioned  the  text;  to  see  so  many  differing  copies 
would  put  any  one  to  a  stand  which  to  believe.  Mr. 
Perkins  saith,  it  must  not  seem  strange  that  words  in 
the  margin  have  crept  into  the  text.  Dr.  Ames 
saith,  helps  to  government,  in  1  Cor.  xii.  28,  are  not 
in  the  original;  he  supposes  these  words  to  have 
been  inserted  by  the  Prelates  in  favor  of  their  gov- 
ernment. The  preachers  who  call  themselves 
divines,  have  assumed  and  challenged  divine  author- 
ity to  frame  all  copies  and  translations,  and  to 
expound  all  texts  according  to  their  own  minds,  to 
maintain  their  own  doctrine  and  practices,  to  uphold 
their  own  power  and  standing.  Hence  it  is  that  the 
translations  of  different  parties  agree  not  ;  that 
party  that  would  have  the  magistrate  punish  idola- 
try, &c.  have  made  a  text  for  it.  Job  xxxi.  28,  to  he 
punished  by  the  judges;  but  these  words  are  not  in 


44  TORMENTS    OP    HELL, 

the  Hebrew,  but  are  an  addition  of  their  own,  as 
appears  by  the  Bible  printed  in  London  by  the 
assigns  of  John  Bill,  in  the  year  1640,  and  the  Ge- 
neva Bible  differs  from  this,  and  froni  the  transla- 
tion printe.d  by  the  Stationers,  London.  The  Eng- 
lish translation  hath  a  variety  of  differences,  not 
without  evident  contradiction  among  divers  places 
that  might  be  instanced;  see  Dan.  vii.  9,  18;  in  the 
Geneva  translation,  ver.  9,  is,  /  beheld  till  the  thrones 
were  set  up:  and  in  the  King's  translation,  printed  by 
the  Company  of  Stationers,  London,  the  same  verse 
is,  1  beheld  till  the  thrones  were  cast  down.  And  ver. 
18,  it  is,  But  the  saints  of  the  Most  High  shall  take 
the  kingdom;  and  in  the  Geneva  translation  the  same 
verse  is,  And  they  shall  take  the  kingdom  of  the  saints; 
both  cannot  be  true,  and  which  of  them  is  an  Eng- 
lishman to  believe?  Some  say,  Luther  added  the 
word  only  to  the  text;  being  asked  why  he  did  it,  he 
said,  he  did  it  to  make  the  Apostles  say  more  plain- 
ly. Faith  only  justifieth.  Dr.  Fulke,  Defence  Eng- 
lish translation,  p.  80,  saith,  we  follow  in  our  trans- 
lation, as  near  as  we  can,  the  Holy  Scripture  in 
such  sense,  if  anything  be  doubtful,  as  the  proper 
circumstance  of  the  place  will  lead  us  unto,  that  we 
may  attain  to  the  meaning  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  So 
then,  it  seems,  if  the  translator  think  the  Holy 
Ghost  meaneth  this  or  that,  he  may  translate  it  so. 
Is  not  this  a  large  liberty  ?  The  Jews  take  no  such 
liberty. 

The  ministers  of  Lincoln  diocese  in  the  abridge- 
ment of  their  grievances  delivered  to  King  James, 
pp.  11,  13,  14,  say,  that  the  English  translation  of 


TORMENTS   OT    HELL.  45 

the  Bible  is  a  translation  that  takes  away  from  the 
text,  and  adds  to  the  text,  and  that  sometimes  to  the 
changing  and  obscuring  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  And 
Mr.  Broughton,  the  great  linguist,  in  his  advertise- 
ment of  corruption,  tells  the  Bishops,  that  the  public 
translation  of  the  scriptures  in  the  English  is  such, 
as  that  it  perverts  the  text  of  the  Old  Testament  in 
eight  hundred  forty  and  eight  places,  and  that  it 
causes  millions  to  reject  the  Old  Testament.  And 
Dr.  Featiy,  Doctor  of  Divinity,  in  his  Dipper  Dipt, 
p.  1,  saith,  no  translation  is  simply  authentical,  or 
the  undoubted  word  of  God.  In  the  undoubted  word 
of  God  there  can  be  no  error,  but  in  the  translation 
there  are  and  may  be  errors.  The  Bible  translated 
therefore  is  not  the  undoubted  word  of  God,  but  so 
far  only  as  it  agrees  with  the  original,  the  writings 
of  the  Prophets  and  Apostles.  And  forasmuch,  as 
our  English  translation,  as  he  saith,  is  not  the  un- 
doubted word  of  God,  what  is  that  preaching  worth 
that  is  proved  by  it.?  The  false  glosses  and  interpre- 
tations which  are  put  upon  the  scriptures  by  men 
learned  in  the  languages,  who  have  made  inconside- 
rate and  bold  assertions  without  proof  in  not  keep* 
ing  to  the  true  and  proper  signification  of  the  words 
thereof,  have  caused  many  errors,  and  great  trouble 
and  confusion.  They  put  the  word  Lucifer  for  the 
Day  Star,  Isa.  xiv.  12.  They  have  forsaken  the 
fountain  and  digged  to  themselves  cisterns,  as  Jer. 
ii.  13,  and  we  see  the  people  are  willing  to  give 
themselves  up  to  a  ministry  of  fables,  2  Pet.  i.  16. 
that  makes  the  scriptures  say  and  unsay,  which  be- 
ing interpreted  is  to  make   them  say  just  nothing. 


46  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

The  force  of  education,  and  the  custom  the  country- 
men live  in,  is  such,  as  ordinarily  engageth  them  to 
a  prejudice  and  evil  opinion  against  all  principles 
contrary  thereunto,  though  of  divine  inspiration. 
Hence  the  Papists,  Turks,  and  several  sorts  of 
Protestants,  cry  down  and  censure  each  others 
judgment  and  opinion  as  abominable  error,  heresy, 
and  blasphemy. 

3.  The  third  pillar  that  upholds  hell-torments  are 
fond  Expositors,  vs^ho  interpret  sheol  for  hell-tor- 
ments; so  Dr.  Fulke  calls  them,  in  his  Defence,  p. 
90.  I  would  know  why  interpreters  understand  and 
translate  a  hell  of  torments  from  the  Hebrew  and 
Greek,  which  is  not  in  them,  as  themselves  confess, 
as  hath  been  showed.  They  will  take  sheol  figura- 
tively, and  say,  by  tojyhet  hell  is  figured,  which  is  a 
fancy,  a  fable,  and  delusion,  that  is  strong  in  many, 
who  expound  scripture  without  sense  or  reason;  it 
is  as  improper  to  interpret  sheol  for  a  place  of  tor- 
ment, as  to  interpret  the  word  house  to  signify  a 
horse.  The  scripture  is  not  of  private  interpretation; 
a  sense  arising  out  of  the  brain  of  an  interpreter  is 
a  private  interpretation;  and  as  the  scriptures  are 
not  of  man,  but  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  so  the  interpre- 
tation of  them  is  not  to  be  of  man,  but  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Oracles  signify  the  answer  of  God,  Rom.  iii. 
2.  See  John  xii.  And  hov)  readest  thou,  Luke  x.  26. 
To  interpret  words  figuratively  which  are  to  be  un- 
derstood literally,  and  words  literally  which  are  to 
be  understood  figuratively,  is  licentious,  and  de- 
structive to  the  faith  of  the  Gospel.  We  are  not  to 
interpret  any  place  figuratively,  unless  that  figura- 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  47 

tive  sense  be  expressed  in  a  plainer  place  of  Scrip- 
ture. If  a  man  will  have  an  erroneous  persuasion, 
and  whatsoever  the  scripture  saith  to  the  contrary 
he  will  have  it  to  be  a  figurative  sense,  he  will  be 
left  in  the  clouds  of  his  own  persuasion;  so  instead 
of  proving  their  hell  of  torments  never  to  end  by  the 
Scriptures,  Ruffinus  and  others  say,  they  who  will 
not  believe  it,  shall  feel  it;  which  is  no  proof,  but  a 
mere  shift,  a  very  lie  such  as  nurses  use  to  still  chil- 
dren, by  telling  them  of  a  great  bulbeggar,  and  that 
a  man  will  come  down  the  chimney  and  carry  them 
away;  but  none  except  children  and  fools  will  be 
scared  with  such  bulbeggars. 

4.  The  fourth  pillar  which  upholds  their  hell-tor- 
ments, is  the  consent  of  their  preachers;  their  learn- 
ed and  godly  men  agree  herein ;  but  their  weak, 
and  various,  and  uncertain  grounds  declare,  that 
they  have  not  studied  the  point.  But  when  teach- 
ers and  hearers  are  ignorant,  anything  will  serve 
and  pass  for  truth;  the  simple  believe  every  word. 
All  sorts  of  priests  agree  and  abuse  the  people. 
The  Mahometan  priests  blow  a  powder  into  the  eyes 
of  them  that  come  to  see  Mahomet  hang,  which 
maketh  them  so  blind,  that  forever  after  they  are 
led;  and  the  priests  say,  that  the  glory  of  the  sight 
of  Mahomet  is  so  great,  that  it  takes  away  their 
sight  forever  after.  About  Easter  time,  for  ten  days 
there  is  great  joy  about  a  great  'fire  for  their  priest 
Mahomet,  and  those  who  cast  themselves  into  the 
fire,  and  are  burned  to  death,  are  counted  martyrs. 
Once  a  year  the  tomb  of  Mahomet  is  carried  abroad 
upon  a  cart,  and  his  priests  say,  that  those  who  put 


48  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

themselves  under  the  wheel  of  that  cart,  and  are 
crushed  to  death,  do  die  martyrs;  and  some  are  so 
simple  as  to  do  so,  that  thus  they  may  die  martyrs. 
So  the  Antichristian  priests,  and  all  sorts  of  priests, 
have  greatly  deluded  and  deceived  the  people,  blow- 
ing something  into  their  ears,  that  forever  after  they 
are  not  able  to  hear  and  receive  the  jtruth.  But  as 
Mr.  Beza  did  detest  the  Papists'  limbus  and  purga- 
tory, so  do  I  their  dreams  of  hell;  it  being  a  device 
of  man  without  scripture,  with  all  their  uncertain 
brain-sick  fancies;  for  the  imaginations  of  men  have 
no  end. 

5.  The  fifth  pillar  of  hell  is  their  wresting  the 
Scriptures  to  uphold  their  hell  of  torments.  This 
cozens  and  deceives  many,  under  color  of  Divine 
authority,  when  it  is  only  human,  though  they  are 
not  pleased  publicly  to  say  so,  because  it  seems  not 
to  their  purpose;  the  Scriptures  they  allege  to  prove 
it  have  been  considered.  If  any  say  I  wrest  Scrip- 
ture, I  appeal  to  the  learned  in  the  languages,  for  to 
them  concerneth  the  decision  of  the  signification  of 
words,  who  (as  I  have  showed)  testify  with  me. 

6.  The  sixth  pillar  of  hell  is  their  arguments  and 
reasons  which  they  bring  to  prove  hell-torments, 
which  have  been  considered. 

7.  The  seventh  pillar  of  hell  is  a  strong  persua- 
sion that  is  in  men,  that  the  believing  of  hell-tor- 
ments is  a  great  means  to  leave  sin,  and  live  a  holy 
life;  and  the  not  believing  of  hell-torments  is  a 
means  to  commit  all  sin  with  greediness,  and  to  live 
as  they  list;  for  they  say,  men  live  as  though  there 
were  no  hell. 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  49 

Carnal  hearts  of  men  take  offence  at  everything, 
as  the  law  of  works,  and  doing  to  be  saved;  the 
doctrine  of  election,  God's  free  grace  and  salvation 
only  and  alone  by  Christ,  ivithout  works,  Rom.  iv.  6. 
is  charged  to  be  one  of  the  greatest  doctrines  of 
liberty  to  sin  that  ever  was,  and  is  by  the  ignorant 
made  a  stumbling-block  and  rock  of  offence,  and  a 
cause  of  carelessness  in  many.  Ludowick  said,  if 
I  be  saved,  I  be  saved;  if  I  be  damned,  I  be  damn- 
ed. The  Papists  say,  if  good  works  save  us  not,  to 
what  purpose  shall  we  do  them  ?  then  we  may  live 
as  we  list;  if  we  be  appointed  to  life,  we  shall  be 
saved,  though  we  sin  never  so  much  ;  if  tee  sin,  we 
have  an  advocate,  1  John  ii.  1.  Not  anything  can 
separate  iis  from  the  love  of  God,  Rom.  viii.  38,  39. 
If  we  be  not  appointed  to  life,  we  cannot  be  saved, 
though  we  should  do  never  so  much  good.  Ye  see 
how  this  truth  is  turned  into  wantonness;  the  Apos- 
tle exhorts  us  not  to  turn  the  grace  of  God  into 
wantonness,  Rom.  vi.  1,  15.  The  corrupt  heart  of 
man  is  ready  to  do  it.  There  are  many  things  in 
Paul's  epistles,  which  the  ignorant  and  unlearned 
(who  know  not  God  in  Christ)  wrest  to  their  own 
destruction;  will  any  therefore  say,  that  the  doctrine 
of  election  and  salvation  by  Christ  alone  is  not  a 
doctrine  fit  to  be  taught,  nor  come  abroad.''  If  so, 
the  Scriptures  must  not  come  abroad. 

Moreover,  the  doctrine  of  the  Protestant  minis- 
ters is  charged,  not  only  to  be  a  doctrine  of  liberty 
to  sin,  but  a  blasphemous  doctrine  ;  to  teach  that 
the  fall  and  sin  of  man  was  decreed,  they  say  is  to 

make  God  the  author  of  evil.     The  Protestant  writ- 

5# 


50  TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  ' 

ers  say,  that  the  sin  of  man  was  determined  of  God. 
Dr.  Willet,  Sifiop.  p.  760.     He  also  saith,  the  Prot- 
estants hold  that  the  fall  of  Adam  was  both  foreseen 
of   God,    and   decreed  to  be,   not  permitted    only. 
They  allege  Gen.  xlv.  5,  8;  2  Sam.  xxiv.  1;  Acts  ii. 
23 ;  iv.  27,  28 :    Should  ivalk  after  their  ungodly  lusts, 
Jude  18.    For  the  creation  was  subject  to  vanity,  not 
willingly,  hut  by  reason  of  him  that  hath  subjected  the 
same    in  hope,   Rom.    viii.    20.      Dr.  W.  Whitaker 
against  Catnpion  the  Jesuit,  saith,  'Now  answer  me, 
Campion,    do  you  think  that   which   any  one  doth, 
how  wicked  soever,  is  done  whether    God  vvill   or 
not?     If  you  hold  that  any  thing  is  done   against 
God's  will,  what  Providence  or  omnipotency  do  you 
leave  him?     For  he  that  permitteth  that  to  be  done, 
which  he  would  by  no   means  have  to  be  done,  it  is 
certain,  that  he  is  not  endued  with  so  great  power 
as  that  he  can  forbid  that  which  he  would  not  have 
done;  wherefore,  you  must    needs  confess,  that  all 
things  which  are  done,  are  done  by  the  will  of  God:' 
and  p.  196,  'all  confess,  God  could  have  hindered  sin 
to  be,  if  he  had  so  pleased;  but  he  would  not  hinder 
it,  therefore    it  was  his  will  it  should  be.     The  will 
of  God,  and  not  sin,  is  the  cause    of  God's  decree, 
and  the  being  of  all  things;   the  will  and  pleasure  of 
God  is  the  womb  from  whence  springeth  every  work 
of  the  creature,  Rom.  iv.  11.'     God  must  first  will 
his  creature  to  stand  or  fall,  before  he  can  do  either, 
Acts  xxi.  14.  Phil.  ii.  13.     The  evil  actions  of  men 
are  not  only  foreseen  of  God,  but  decreed,  saith  Mr. 
Par,  in  his  Grounds  of  Divinity.     We  are  not  saved 
from  sin,  except  we  have   committed   sin,  therefore 


"■■  TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  51 

salvation  from  sin  is  not  without  committing  sin, 
saith  Fulke,  p.  121,  God  willed  and  decreed  his 
glory  and  man's  happiness,  therefore  he  willed  and 
decreed  the  means  to  it.  The  end  and  moving 
cause  of  his  willing  sin  to  be,  is  for  his  glory,  for 
which  cause  it  was  necessary  for  sin  to  be.  If  sin 
had  not  been,  how  should  the  goodness  of  God,  in 
giving  man  eternal  life  in  glory,  have  appeared,  his 
love  in  sending  Christ  to  die?  If  there  had  not  been 
sin,  there  had  been  no  need  of  Christ's  coming,  nor 
of  his  death  and  righteousness.  -Most  of  the  great 
works  of  God  in  this  world,  and  that  to  come,  have 
dependence  or  reference  to  sin.  How' should  we 
have  lived  by  faith,  exercised  the  fruits  of  the  spirit, 
or  have  any  happiness  or  glory  in  the  world  to  come 
if  there  had  been  no  sin?  He  who  willeth  the  end, 
willeth  those  things  which  are  necessarily  referred 
to  that  end;  taking  away  sin  was  decreed  before  the 
world,  therefore  the  being  of  sin  was  decreed. — 
Christ's  death  was  determined  before  the  world,  for 
the  end  of  Christ  was  to  restore  Adam's  fall:  if 
Adam  had  not  fallen,  there  had  been  no  need  of  a 
Christ  to  restore  him.  The  saints  were  chosen  to 
life  before  the  world;  choice  hath  reference  to  the 
fall,  therefore  the  fall  was  decreed. 

If  the  will  of  man  had  been  the  first  and  chief 
cause  of  the  being  of  sin,  then  the  will  of  man 
should  be  the  cause  of  God's  will,  and  so  man  shall 
be  the  original  cause  of  the  salvation  of  himself, 
and  so  much  the  cause  of  it,  that  without  his  will  it 
could  not  have  been;  and  so  the  determination  of 
God  what  to  do,  shall  not  be  from  himself,   but  from 


52  TORMENTS   OF    HELL. 

the  will  of  man,  which  is  contrary  to  Eph.  i.  11.  If 
man  should  will  sin  before  God  willed  it,  then  shall 
the  will  of  God  depend  and  wait  upon  the  will  of 
man: — as  if  God  should  say,  if  man  will  sin,  then 
will  I  will  his  salvation:  and  if  God  should  first  will 
to  send  Christ  to  save  man,  and  leave  it  to  man's 
will  and  power  whether  he  shall  fall  or  not,  then  it 
was  possible  for  man  to  stand,  and  so  to  frustrate  the 
decree  of  God;  for  if  man  had  not  sinned,  God's 
decree  of  sending  Christ  had  been  void  and  of  none 
effect.  Mr.  Perkins  saith,  God  decreed  the  fall  of 
Adam:  if  the  fall  was  decreed,  and  if  man  had  pow- 
er to  stand,  then  he  had  power  to  frustrate  God's 
decree,  which  no  wise  man  will  affirm.  And  then 
that  saying,  that  Adam  had  power  to  keep  the  law 
is  without  truth ;  if  he  had,  consider  Ezek.  xviii.  2 — 4. 
God  willeth  all  things  well,  he  sinneth  not,  nor  can 
he  sin,  because  he  is  under  no  law.  God  commands 
men  to  keep  the  law,  which  no  man  can  do;  he  com- 
mands men  to  think  no  vain  thoughts,  and  not  to  sin. 
We  cannot  avoid  some  vain  thoughts,  and  in  many 
things  we  sin  all,  Christ  saith,  JVo  man  can  come 
to  me  except  the  Father  drme  him,  John  vi.  37,  44.  If 
they  be  drawn,  they  come:  draiv  us,  and  we  will  run 
after  thee,  Cant,  i.  4.  If  I  put  sufficient  strength 
to  move  the  earth,  motion  must  needs  follow;  when 
men  sin,  they  are  beguiled,  enticed,  deceived,  drawn 
away;  iheij  like  men  have  transgressed,  Hos,  vi.  7. 

We  are  to  distinguisli  between  that  which  follows 
a  doctrine  in  its  own  nature,  and  that  which  follows 
by  accident,  or  rather,  that  a  corrupt  heart  draws 
from  it,    and  is  not  from  the  nature  and  working  of 


TORMENTS    OF   HELL.  53 

the  doctrine  itself.  It  is  strange  to  consider,  men 
are  so  set  upon  the  Popish  principle  to  be  saved  for 
their  works,  that  they  count  all  profaneness  which 
crosses  their  way.  Some  have  burned  the  Bible, 
and  Dr.  Crispe's  book  of  Salvation  by  Christ  alone; 
the  treatise  of  Mr.  Archer,  late  of  All-hallowes, 
London,  entitled  Comfort  to  Believers  against  their 
Sins  and  Sorroiv,  waa  burned  by  the  hangman.  The 
same  spirit  is  alive  to  burn  this  also;  I  expect  noth- 
ing better  from  such  as  are  not  taught  of  God;  they 
condemn  those  things  which  they  know  not,  and 
think  they  do  God  service  when  they  persecute  the 
truth  and  the  professors  of  it. 

That  the  fear  of  the  torments  of  hell  is  no  such 
preserver  against  sin,  is  evident;  for  those  who  sin 
with  the  greatest  greediness,  the  greatest  sinners, 
they  do  believe  there  are  hell-torments;  for  though 
they  be  never  so  wicked,  they  hope  it  doth  not  be- 
long to  them,  or  they  hope  to  repent  and  lead  new 
lives  before  they  die;  though  they  sin  for  the  pres- 
ent, they  hope  to  make  God  amends  for  all:  as  an 
Arminian,  being  drunk,  said,  that  he  was  now  in  a 
state  of  damnation;  but,  he  said,  he  would  be  in  a 
state  of  grace  to-morrow;  so  he  comforted  himself. 
The'lives  of  many  heathens,  who  have  denied  the 
resurrection  of  the  body,  and  therefore  did  not  hold 
a  hell  of  torments  after,  have  been  better  than 
many  who  seek  to  escape  hell,  and  gain  heaven  by 
their  own  works.  If  fear  of  hell  were  a  preserver 
against  sin,  then  those  who  are  delivered  from  the 
fear  of  hell,  who  believe  they  shall  be  saved,  would 
sin  more  than  others;  but  we  find  the  contrary, 
that  none  are  more  free  from  sin  than  these. 


54  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

Experience  teaches,  that  although  the  fear  of 
hell  at  first  startles  and  frights  men,  yet  it  is  soon 
over,  and  is  no  preserver  against  sin.  I  knew  one 
set  before  him  the  torments  of  hell,  to  keep  him 
from  sin  ;  and  finding  that  would  not  do,  he  added 
vows  and  curses  to  keep  him  from  sin.  I  knew 
another,  who  wished  the  devil  to  take  him,  soul  and 
body,  if  he  did  not  do  the  thing  he  spake  of;  and 
yet  I  knew  he  did  it  not.  Another  wished  he  might 
sink  into  hell  immediately,  if  he  did  the  thing  he 
spake  of ;  yet  he  did  do  it  before  he  went  from  the 
place.  The  reason  is,  because  the  lusts  of  men  are 
stronger  than  the  fear  of  hell,  resolutions,  and 
curses. 

Because  men  are  not  given  up  to  the  lusts  of 
their  own  hearts,  it  may  be  that  they  find  that  liber- 
ty to  sin  is  the  greatest  misery  and  bondage  in  the 
world  :  it  hath  all  misery  in  it,  whether  they  sin  with 
more  or  less  fear;  and  could  they  enjoy  all  the 
pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season,  they  will  find  they 
have  made  a  bad  bargain  of  it.  What  fruit  had  ye 
of  those  things  vjhereof  ye  are  now  ashamed  ?  Rom. 
vi.  21.  If  I  sin,  thou  markest  me,  Job  x.  14.  Be  sure 
your  sin  will  find  you  out,  Numb,  xxxii.  23.  In  keep- 
ing thy  commands  there  is  great  reward,  Psalm  xix. 
11;  in  breaking  them  a  great  punishment,  loss  of 
inward  peace  and  comfort,  a  guilty  accusing  con- 
science, disgrace,  affliction,  losses,  crosses,  and 
death;  Tlie  bloody  and  deceitful  man  shall  not  live  out 
half  his  days.  Psalm  Iv.  23.  I  tvill  curse  your  bless- 
ings, Malachi  ii.  1.  See  Deut.  xxviii. —  the  whole 
chapter. 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  55 

Men  sin  because  they  are  led  captive  hy  the  devil 
at  his  will,' 2  Tim.  ii.  26;  iii.  6.  Also  men  sin  be- 
cause they  are  under  the  law;  so  long  as  a  man  is 
under  the  law,  sin  will  have  dominion  over  him,  Rom. 
vi.  14.  Sin  shall  not  have  dominion  over  them  that 
are  under  grace. 

Men  sin  because  they  have  not  received  power 
from  on  high  against  sin;  until  they  receive  that 
power,  they  cannot  but  sin  ;  thou  hast  led  captivity 
captive,  and  given  gifts  for  men,  Psalm  Ixviii.  18. 
Until  Christ,  by  his  spirit,  sets  the  soul  at  liberty,  it 
is  in  bondage,  and  enthralled  to  base  lusts;  but 
if  the  Son  make  you  free,  ye  shall  be  free  indeed,  John 
viii.  36,  but  not  till  then;  see  Eccl.  viii.  11.  The 
punishment  of  the  magistrates  keeps  men  from  abus- 
ing others,  more  than  the  fear  of  hell;  men  would 
be  exceedingly  dissolute  if  under  no  discipline  of 
superiors. 

Men  go  to  sin  for  comfort,  sweetness,  and  satis- 
faction; but  when  satisfied,  they  go  not  to  sin.  To 
act  for  life  is  no  love  to  God,  nor  self-denial,  nor 
any  spiritualness,  nor  will  it  do  them  good  ;  it  is  not 
accepted  of  God,  nor  will  it  continue;  those  who 
are  thus  restrained  do  oftentimes  exceed  all  others 
in  sin.  The  spiritual  soul,  which  lives  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  love  of  God,  needs  no  such  weights  to 
procure  its  motion;  he  acts  from  a  new  life  and 
principle  to  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  good  of  others. 
And  in  this  work  and  labor  of  love  is  more  sweetness 
than  is  in  all  the  pleasures  of  sin,  which  are  but  for 
a  season. 


56  TORMENTS  OF    HELL. 

It  is  a  great  ignorance  for  any  to  think,  that  it  is 
in  the  power  of  any  man  to  sin  as  much  as  he  wilL 
If  this  be  proved,  all  objections  are  answered;  and 
this  the  scripture  proves,  that  without  the  will  of  God 
men  cannot  do  anything,  not  so  much  as  go  to  a  city, 
unless  God  will,  James  iv.  13,  15.  God  worketh, 
governeth,  and  disposeth  all  things,  after  the  counsel 
of  his  own  will,  Eph.  i.  11.  Acts  xviii.  21.  Rom.  ix. 
18.  Who  hath  resisted  his  will?  God's  will  is  done, 
Luke  xi.  2.  Heb.  ii.  4.  Eph.  i.  5.  Acts  xiii.  22.  The 
measure  of  men's  sins  is  set;  men  cannot  do  more 
nor  less  than  their  measure;  they  fill  up  their  meas- 
ure always,  1  Thess.  ii.  16.  It  was  determined  how 
many  times  Peter  should  deny  Christ,  Luke  xxii.  31, 
34,  compared  with  ver.  61.  God  sailh,  if  you  will 
believe  him,  the  wicked  shall  do  loickedly,  Dan.  xii. 
10.  They  cannot  cease  from  sin,  2  Pet.  ii.  14.  That 
which  is  determined  shall  be  done,  Dan.  xi.  26.  He 
that  restraineth  the  clouds,  that  they  drop  not  down 
rain,  he  made  a  decree  for  the  rain,  Job  xxxiii.  26, 
and  the  earth  that  it  bring  not  forth  grass,  Deut. 
xxix.  23.  He  that  stilleth  the  winds  and  the  tempest. 
Psalm  cvii.  29,  30,  that  saith  to  the  waves  of  the 
sea,  hitherto  shall  thou  come,  but  no  further,  and  here 
shall  thy  proud  waves  be  staid.  Job  xxxviii.  11,  he  re- 
straineth men  from  doing  their  wills  when  he  pleases; 
they  would  go  further,  but  he  restraineth  them,  Job 
xviii.,  that  they  cannot  do  the  things  they  had  ap- 
pointed to  do.  Gen.  XX.  6;  xxxi.  24;  xxxv.  5.  Rev. 
XX.  3,  12.  O  Lord,  I  know  the  way  of  man  is  not  in 
himself;  it  is  not  in  man  that  walkelh  to  direct  his  steps, 
Jer.  X.  23.  Prov.iv.  12.    The  preparation  of  the  heart, 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  57 

and  the  answer  of  the  tongue  is  from  the  Lord,  Prov. 
xvi.  1 .  A  man's  heart  deviseth  his  loay,  but  the  Lord 
directeth  his  steps,  Prov.  xv.  9.  The  heart  of  the 
king  is  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord :  as  the  rivers  oj 
waters,  he  turneth  it  withersoever  he  will,  Prov.  xxi.  1. 
Man's  daijs  are  determined.  Job  vii.  1;  xiv.  5,  14. 
^nd  the  bounds  of  his  habitation.  Acts  xyii.  24;  so  are 
his  works  and  sins.  Surely  the  lorath  of  man  shall 
praise  thee,  and  the  remainder  of  wrath  shall  thou 
restrain.  Psalm  Ixxvi.  10. 

Setting  aside  the  opinions  and  conjectures  of  men's 
devised  fables,  1  am  fully  satisfied  with  the  testimo- 
ny of  the  word  of  God,  (besides  their  own  testimo- 
ny, which  is  sufficient  against  themselves,)  with 
which  I  see  through  the  thick  darkness  of  the  inven- 
tions and  traditions  of  men. 


58  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Several  Considerations,  showing  that  there  is  not  to  be 
a  Punishment  after  this  life,  that  shall  never  end. 

1.  We  do  not  find  the  place  of  hell  mentioned  in 
any  of  the  six  days  work  of  God;  if  it  be  a  place,  it 
is  created  a  place,  and  so  a  part  of  the  creation  of 
God. 

The  whale  is  mentioned  in  scripture;  if  there  be 
a  place  of  hell,  it  is  a  greater  thing,  and  inasmuch 
as  it  is  not  found  in  the  creation  of  God,  it  may  well 
be  considered  as  the  creation  of  man,  a  vain  imagi- 
nation of  man;  for  their  reasons  prove  not  its  ac- 
tual existence,  nor  do  they  agree  among  them- 
selves of  the  proof  of  it,  neither  where  it  is,  nor  what 
it  is. 

2.  Solomon  was  wiser  than  all  men,  1  Kings  iv. 
31,  yet  he  spake  not  any  thing  of  the  torments  of 
hell,  nor  of  any  punishment  never  to  end.  He  spake 
from  the  cedar  to  the  hyssop ;  he  spake  also  of  beasts 
and  fowls,  of  creeping  things,  and  of  fishes,  ver.  33. 
If  he  had  known  of  any  hell  and  torments  there,  he 
would  have  spoken  of  that  also. 

3.  The  Jews,  unto  whom  were  committed  the  ora- 
cles of  God,  Rom.  iii.  2,  to  give  unto  us,  have  deliv- 
ered no  such  thing  to  us,  nor  do  they  believe  any 
such  thing:  for  the  Hebrew  doctors  understand  the 
seventh  day  of  seven  thousand  years,  which  is  in  the 
world  to  come,  he  blessed,  because  in  the  seven 
thousand  years  all  souls  shall  be  bound  up  in  the 


TORMENTS    OP    HELL.  59 

bundle  of  life,  in  the  world  to  come;  Ainsworth,  on 
Gen.  ii.  A  day  with  the  Lord  is  as  a  thousand  years, 
2  Pet.  iii.  8.  The  Jews  say,  as  the  world  was  made 
in  six  days,  so  it  should  continue  six  thousand  years, 
and  no  more;  and  that  the  seventh  day  is  the  seven 
thousand  years  in  the  world  to  come,  in  which  all 
souls  shall  be  blessed.  Also  they  say,  a  good  man 
and  a  bad  man  died;  afterwards,  one  in  a  vision  saw 
the  good  man  walking  in  gardens,  among  pleasant 
fountains  of  water;  but  the  bad  man  near  a  river, 
and  his  tongue  reaching  after  water,  but  could  not 
reach  it;  Talmud  Jerus.  in  Chag.  fol.  77,  col.  4. 
Inasmuch  as  these  things  are  received  among  them 
for  truth,  though  they  be  but  Jewish  fables,  yet  by 
them  we  see  evidently  that  they  do  not  believe  the 
opinion  of  a  torment  after  this  life  never  to  end. 
The  Jews  and  Hebrew  doctors  were  igreat  searches 
of  every  tittle  of  scriptures;  and  if  this  doctrine  had 
been  there  to  be  seen,  they  or  their  Prophets  should 
have  seen  it. 

4.  The  saints  recorded  in  scripture  did  not  be- 
lieve that  there  was  to  be  a  punishment  for  any  to 
endure,  never  to  end.  This  is  evident,  because 
when  they  made  a  confession  of  sin,  and  the  punish- 
ment due  to  them  for  the  same,  they  do  not  confess 
to  have  deserved  any  such  punishment.  They  con- 
fess, to  us  belongs  confusion  of  face,  Dan.  ix.  8,  11. 
It  is  of  the  Lord's  mercies  that  we  are  not  consumed, 
Lam.  iii.  22.  Thoit  hast  delivered  me  from  death, 
Psalm  cxvi.  8. 

Nor  do  we  find  that  they  ever  gave  thanks  for  any 
such  deliverance.     If  they  had  known  of  any  such 


60  TORMENTS    6p    HELL. 

deliverance,  it  must  have  appeared  to  be  the  great- 
est deliverance,  which  any  could  enjoy,  requiring 
the  greatest  acknowledgment  and  thankfulness. 
JVor  doth  it  appear  that  they  did  ever  pray  for,  or 
express  any  desire  of  such  deliverance.  As  they 
express  neither,  it  is  a  ground  to  judge  that  they 
knew  of  no  such  punishment.  If  there  had  been 
any  such  deliverance,  they  should  have  known  it,  it 
should  not  have  been  hidden  from  them;  they  ad- 
mired the  deliverance  effected  in  saving  their  lives 
from  death,  speaking  of  it  as  the  greatest  deliver- 
ance, Ezek.  vi.  3 — 14.  The  kindness  of  the  Lord 
not  to  die,  1  Sam.  xx.  14. 

Do  you  suppose,  if  Moses  and  Paul  had  believed 
there  was  so  great  and  exceeding  torment  without 
end,  that  they  would  have  desired  that  their  names 
might  be  blotted  out  of  the  book  of  life,  Exod.  xxxii. 
33,  and  to  be  separated  from  Christ,  Rom.  ix.  3,  to 
endure  such  torment  without  end?  I  do  not  believe 
that  they  were  willing  so  to  suffer. 

5.  Christ,  when  on  earth,  spake  of  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem,  which  was  to  come,  and  wept  be- 
cause they  were  to  suffer  that,  Luke  xix.  42,  44. 
He  would  much  more  have  spoken  of  a  punishment 
never  to  end,  and  wept  for  them  that  should  suffer 
that,  if  there  had  been  such  punishment  for  any  to 
endure. 

6.  When  God  doth  warn  any  from  sin,  from  the 
consideration  of  punishment,  there  is  no  mention  of 
any  punishments  except  those  to  be  endured  in  this 
life.  See  1  Cor.  x.  1 — 11.  They  shall  die  of  griev- 
ous deaths,  Jer.  xvi.  4.    2  Chron.  xix.   10.     Death 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  61 

threatened,  Ezek.  iii.  18,  19,  xxxiii.  3 — 16.  Titus  iii. 
10,  11.  Confounded  be  all  ihey  that  serve  graven  im- 
ages, Psalm  xcvii.  7.  A  punishment  in  this  life, 
Jer.  ix.  19.  Death  for  idolatry,  Jer.  xliv.  7.  The 
punishment  of  idolatry  set  for  an  example,  2  Pet.  ii. 
6.  Be  instructed,  lest  my  soul  depart  from  thee, 
and  I  make  thee  desolate,  because  oj  thy  sins,  Micah 
vi.  13.  See  Jer.  ix.  11.  Abomination  that  mahes  des- 
olate, Dan.  xi,  31.  He  turned  the  cities  of  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah  into  ashes,  condemned  tJiem  with  an 
overthroia,  making  them  an  examjole,  2  Pet.  ii.  5 — 7. 
He  that  threatened  death,  would  have  threatened  a 
punishment  never  to  end,  if  there  had  been  such  a 
punishment  to  be  inflicted  upon  any. 

7.  God's  punishment  of  sin  is  not  of  so  large  an 
extent  as  his  mercy;  for  his  punishing  of  sin  is  but 
to  the  third  and  fourth  generation,  Deut.  v.  9.  Thy 
mercy  is  great  above  the  heavens,  and  thy  truth  unto 
the  skies.  Psalm  cviii.  4.  By  truth  in  this  place  un- 
derstand the  punishment  of  sin,  because  the  word 
mercy  is  put  in  opposition,  which  lieth  in  forgiving 
sin.  The  heavens  are  far  above  the  skies;  astron- 
omers say  the  clouds  and  skies  are  not  more  than 
fifty  miles  above  the  earth,  but  the  heavens  are 
more  than  a  hundred  and  sixteen  millions  of  miles 
above  the  skies  ;  but  the  mercy-seat  above,  Exod. 
XXV.  21.  His  name  is  his  glory;  his  glory  above  the 
heavens.  Psalm  viii.  1.  Why  is  it  said  he  punisheth 
the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the  children  to  the 
third  and  fourth  generation,  and  not  to  the  tenth  and 
twentieth,  but  to  declare  that  his  justice  is  satisfied 
therewith,  and  requireth  not  a  further   punishment.^ 


62  TORMENTS    OP    HELL. 

God  doth  punish  sin  in  the  sinner,  and  upon  his 
children,  to  the  third  and  fourth  generation,  hecause 
there  is  not  to  be  a  punishment  after  this  life,  never 
to  end. 

8.  Death  and  the  fear  of  it  is  called  the  terror  of 
God,  Gen.  xxxv.  5.  The  King  of  Terrors,  Job  xviii. 
11,  14.  Therefore  death  is  the  greatest  punishment, 
and  most  terrible;  but  if  there  were  to  be  a  punish- 
ment never  to  end,  not  death,  but  that  punishment 
would  be  the  king  of  terrors;  for  death  is  not  terrible 
at  all  in  comparison  of  that. 

9.  Sin    is    punished    in    this  life    to  the  full; — 
if   you    will    believe    God,    he    saith,    according 
to    their    works    and    doings    I    punished     them, 
Ezek.  xxxvi.  18.    Hoseaxii.  2;    xiii.  11.    Jeremiah 
1.   25;   xxvi.    18;     ix.  9,   11.    Job  xx.    28.      Every 
transgression  received  a  just  recompense,   Heb.  ii.  2. 
Would  ye  have  sin  to  be  fully  punished  in  this  life, 
and  afterwards  in  the  world  to  come,  with  a  punish- 
ment never  to  end?     That   sin   is   punished  in  this 
life,  seelsa.  Ixv.  3— 16.  Deut.  x.  17,  18.    Micah  vi. 
10.   Hag.  i.  6.   Lam.  iv.  6.     I  will  punish   the  world 
for  their  iniquity,  they  shall  fall  by  the  sword,   Isa. 
xiii.    11 — 22.     Outward    calamity  and   deatb^,    the 
punishment  of  sin,   Lam.  iii.  39.   1   Pet.   ii.    14. — 
Recompense  their  sin   to  the  full,  Jer.  xvi.  18.     For 
the  violence  of  the  sin  of  man,  when   all  flesh  had 
corrupted  his  way,  God  saith,  Iivill  destroy  them  with 
the  earth;   a  flood  of  water  to  destroy  all  flesh,  Gen. 
vi.  11,  12,  17.     To  punish  sin  twice,  is  as  disagree- 
able to  justice,   as  to  receive  the   payment   of  one 
debt  twice. 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  63 

10.  There  is  not  a  worse  thing  than  the  dregs  of 
God's  fury,  anger,  and  wrath;  and  these  are  poured 
out  in  this  life.  God  doth  not  only  begin  to  punish 
sin  in  this  life,  but  he  also  finishes  it  in  this  life;  for 
it  is  said,  he  poured  out  all  his  fierce  anger,  he  cast 
upon  them  the  fierceness  of  his  anger,  wrath  and  indig- 
nation, Psalm  Ixxvii.  49,  (Death.)  So  it  was  poured 
out,  Isa.  xxiv.  1 — 12.  Ezek  xix.  12.  Accomplished 
my  fury,  Ezek.  v.  13.  It  consumed  them,  Ezek.  xliii. 
8.  For  yet  a  very  little  while,  and  mine  anger  and 
indignation  shall  cease  in  their  destruction,  Jer.  x. 
25.  Wrath  passed,  Job  xiv.  13.  Taken  away  all 
thy  wrath.  Psalm  Ixxxv.  3.  He  hath  poured  out  all 
his  anger.  Lam.  iv.  10,  11.  Zeph.  iii.  3.  The  pun- 
ishment of  their  iniquitij  is  accomplished,  Lam.  iv.  22. 
Ezek.  V.  13;  vii.  8;  xx.  21.  The  dregs  of  the 
cup  of  my  fury  accomplished,  Ezek.  xiii.  14,  15. 
Therefore  there  is  no  continuance  of  it  after  this 
life;  for  when  Achan  was  dead,  it  is  said,  the  Lord 
turned  from  the  fierceness  of  his  anger.  Josh.  vii.  26. 
But  if  what  they  say  were  true,  his  death  was  but 
the  beginning  of  the  Lord's  fierce  anger. 


64  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Mamj  Infallible  Proofs  that  there  is  not  to  be  a  Punish-' 
ment  after  this  Life,  never  to  end. 

1.  The  Scriptures  hold  forth  no  such  thing,  as 
hath  been  showed;  we  ought  not  to  presume  above 
that  which  is  written;  revealed  things  belong  to  us, 
Deut.  xxix.  29. 

2.  The  doctrine  of  a  punishment  never  to  end  is 
contrary  to  the  word  of  God,  because  it  maintains 
that  the  wicked  shall  have  eternal  life.  If  man  was 
to  live  forever,  why  was  the  flaming  sword  set  to  keep 
the  way  of  the  tree  of  life'?  Gen.  iii.  24.  Lest  he  put 
forth  his  hand  and  take  of  the  tree  of  life,  and  live 
forever.  No  eternal  life  came  by  the  first  Adam: 
eternal  life  came  by  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  tree 
of  life,  eternal  life  promised  and  given  by  Jesus 
Christ:  Eernal  life  by  Jesus  Christ,  Rom.  v.  21 ;  and, 
he  that  eateth  of  this  bread  shall  live  forever,  John  vi. 
58.  Because  I  live,  ye  shall  live  also,  John  xiv.  19. 
God  sent  his  Son,  that  we  might  live  through  him, 
1  John  iv.  9.  Only  believers  have  eternal  life:  he 
that  believeth on  the  Sonhath  eternal  life ;  he  that  believ^ 
eth  not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life,  John  iii.  36. 
Whosoever  believeth  shall  not  perish,  but  have  everlast' 
ing  life,  John  iii.  14,  15.  I  give  unto  them  eter7ial  life, 
and  they  shall  ner^er  perish,  John  x.  28.  The  wicked 
abide  not  forever,  1  John  ii.  17.  Jf  ye  live  after  the 
flesh  ye  shall  die.  R«ini.  viii.  13.  Him  will  God  destroy, 

(in  the    Greek   it   is   corrupt)    1  Cor.    iii.  17.      The 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  65 

preaching  of  the  cross  is  to  them  that  perish  foolish^ 
1  Cor.  i.  18.  2  Thes.  ii.  10.  Utterhj  perish,  2  Pet. 
ii.  12.  Luke  xiii.  3.  To  their  own  destruction,  2  Pet. 
iii.  16.  Abideth  in  death,  Rom.  vi.  21,23.  1  John 
iii.  14.  They  shall  be  destroyed  forever,  Psalm 
xcii.  7. 

If  they  perish  and  not  have  eternal  life,  then  they 
cannot  live  forever.  God  said,  if  thou  eatest,  thou 
shall  surely  die,  Gen.  ii.  17;  but  the  serpent  said, 
1/e  shall  not  die,  Gen.  iii.  4.  So  the  serpent,  which 
is  the  devil,  hath  taught  men  to  say  as  the  serpent 
said,  Now  they  have  eaten  they  shall  not  die,  but 
shalllive  forever,  and  never  die;  which  is  to  say, 
God  is  the  liar,  and  that  which  the  devil  said  is 
truth.  The  word  saith,  him  will  God  dcstroxj,  Mat. 
xxi.  41.  1  Cor.  iii.  17;  vi.  13.  They  shall  be  destroy- 
ed, 2  Pet.  ii.  12.  Swift  destruction,  their  end  is 
destruction,  2  Pet.  ii.  1.  Their  opinion  saith,  they 
shall  never  be  destroyed,  die,  nor  end,  which  is  no 
destruction.  The  word  saith.  The  last  enemy  is 
death,  1  Cor.  xv.  26.  Their  opinion  saith,  that  is 
not  the  last;  there  is  one  after  it,  which  is  much 
worse,  and  will  never  end.  It  saith,  God's  anger  is 
forever,  he  will  never  turn  from  it:  contrary  to  Jer. 
iii.  12;  Psalm  1.5;  Ixxxix.  5;  Ixxviii.  38.  Mr.  Bol- 
ton saith,  they  shall  suffer  so  long  as  God  is  God;  if 
so,  then  they  have  eternal  life,  (though  in  misery,) 
whereas  the  Scripture  doth  not  declare  eternal  life 
to  be  for  all  men,  John  vi.  45,  46,  47.  Promised  to 
us  ettrnal  life,  1  John  ii.  17,  25.  /  give  unto  them 
eternal  life,  to  as  many  as  thou  hast  given  me,  John 
xvii.  2,  3.  In  hope  of  eternal  life,  Titus  i.  12.  *ds 
many  as  were  ordained  to  eternal  life  believed,  Acts 


66  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

xiii.  48.  They  that  have  done  good  unto  the  restirree- 
Hon  of  life,  John  v.  29.  If  it  be  granted  that  the 
wicked  have  not  eternal  life,  as  hath  been  proved,  it 
will  follow  that  they  cannot  suffer  forever,  so  long  as 
God  is  God;  and  therefore  all  their  building  of  a 
punishment  never  to  end  falls:  grant  the  first,  and 
the  latter  must  needs  follow. 

If  Adam  had  not  sinned,  he  should  have  died;  as 
appears  from  the  following  considerations  : — 

1.  He  had,  in  his  creation,  a  natural  body, 
1  Cor.  XV.  44:  that  which  is  natural  is  not  eternal, 
ver.  46,  he  was  of  the  earth,  earthly,  ver.  47,  48, 
therefore  mortal  and  corruptible,  ver.  53,  54. 

2.  Man  in  his  first  being  was  corporal  and  visible 
to  be  seen;  things  seen  are  not  eternal.  Mr.  Bolton 
saith,  if  Adam  had  stood,  he  could  not  have  conveyed 
to  us  a  body  immortal,  or  not  dying,  in  his  Treatise 
of  Heaven,  p.  131.  Basil  saith,  if  God  had  given 
Adam  an  immortal  and  unchangeable  nature,  he  had 
created  a  god,  and  not  a  man,  Augustine,  in  his 
Booh  of  Confessions,  saith,  because  the  Lord  created 
man  of  nothing,  therefore  he  left  in  man  a  possibil- 
ity to  return  to  nothing,  if  he  obeyed  not.  the  will  of 
his  maker. 

3.  Man  in  innocency  needed  food,  &c.  That 
which  depends  on  mutable  and  earthly  things,  is 
earthly  and  mutable:  we  see  it  in  all  other  creatures 
that  live  upon  perishing  things;  they  all  perish;  and 
herein  man,  by  the  first  Adam,  hath  no  pre-eminence 
above  a  beast.  Heaven  and  earth  were  created, 
therefore  had  a  beginning;  and  although  they  have 
a  much  longer  life  than  man,  are  to  have  an  end ; 
heaven  and  earth  shall  be  dissolved,  2  Pet.  iii.  12. 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  61 

If  Adam  had  not  died,  (Rom.  v.  12.)  he  should 
have  continued  in  this  world,  and  should  not  have 
gone  to  the  world  to  come;  therefore  by  his  fall  he 
lost  no  happiness  nor  eternal  life  in  that  world ;  for 
he  could  not  by  that  fall  lose  more  than  he  had,  and 
was  to  have.  Death  is  according  to  nature  ;  but  to 
attain  immortality  is  above  nature.  Adam,  being 
earth,  and  from  the  earth,  his  enjoyment,  life,  and 
loss,  and  punishment,  must  of  necessity  be  earthly. 
How  Cometh  he  then  by  his  fall  to  be  capable  of  a 
punishment  never  to  end,  unless  by  his  fall  he  could 
purchase  eternal  life,  which  none  will  affirm?  Eter- 
nal life  cannot  be  by  the  first  man,  much  less  by  sin. 

I  deny  not  but  the  ivages  of  sin  is  death,  Rom.  vi. 
23.  There  is  a  difference  to  be  put  between  a  nat- 
ural death  and  a  judicial  death:  the  first  is  from 
nature,  the  second  is  from  sin.  If  the  common 
death  that  all  die,  Heb.  ix.  27,  were  the  punishment 
of  sin,  as  most  men  think,  then  Christ  by  freeing  his 
people  from  the  punishment  of  sin,  by  bearing  death 
for  them,  of  necessity  must  free  them  from  dying  a 
natural  death:  but  Christ  freeth  none  from  a  natural 
death,  yet  freeth  them  from  the  punishment  of  sin. 
Therefore,  to  die  the  common  death  is  no  part  of  the 
punishment  of  sin;  for  where  sin  is  satisfied,  or 
pardoned,  or  forgiven,  the  punishment  is  not 
inflicted;  if  it  be,  how  is  it  forgiven?  Even  men, 
when  they  pardon,  inflict  not  the  punishment.  All 
confess  the  sins  of  some  men  are  pardoned;  how 
then  comes  it  to  pass  that  those  whose  sins  are  par- 
doned, do  nevertheless  die  for  sin?  He  that  keepetk 
my  sayings  shall  not  see  death,  John  viii.  51,  is  not  to 


68  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

be  referred  to  a  natural  death,  but  it  speaks  of  endur- 
ing a  judicial  death,  John  iii.  16.  The  Scripture  de- 
clares that  there  shall  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  the 
just  and  the  unjust,  Acts  xxiv.  15.  The  unjust  would 
enter  into  life,  but  shall  not,  John  v.  29.  Unto  whom  I 
swear  in  my  wrath,  that  they  should  not  enter  into  my 
rest,  Psalm  xcv.  11.  Heb.  iv..  5 — 7.  And  you  your- 
selves thrust  out,  Luke  xiii.  28.  When  they  rise  to 
judgment  at  the  last  day,  they  shall  be  consumed 
with  the  earth  by  fire,  that  is  their  end  ;  so  that  not 
to  enter,  to  be  thrust  out,  the  second  death,  and  to 
perish,  is  one  thing.  If  they  live  forever,  and  have 
eternal  life,  how  do  they  perish?  and  how  is  the  end 
of  those  things  death"?  Rom.  vi.  21,  if  there  be  no 
end?  To  be  carnally  minded  is  death,  Rom.  viii.  6; 
how  is  this  true,  if  they  live  forever,  and  never  die? 

Sin,  being  a  transgression  of  the  law,  is  a  legal 
sin,  and  so  it  is  to  have  a  legal  punishment;  this,  for 
some  sins,  is  death,  Rom.  vi.  23.  inflicted  by  God, 
as  Gen.  xxxviii.  7,  10,  and  by  man.  A  legal  death 
is  not  from  nature,  but  from  sin,  and  is  a  second 
death.  If  a  man  for  murder  be  put  to  death,  in 
dying,  he  dieth  the  first  and  second  death;  for  in 
dying,  he  dieth  a  natural  death,  and  a  judicial  death; 
this  latter  is  a  second  death,  inasmuch  as  it  is  not 
from  nature,  but  from  sin. 

Men  put  the  stress  of  the  punishment  of  sin  upon 
the  second  death;  but  what  that  second  death  is, 
they  cannot  agree  among  themselves.  The  minis- 
ters, in  their  late  Annotations  on  the  Bible,  on  Rev. 
XX.  6,  on  such  the  second  death  hath  no  power,  inter- 
pret it,  not  to  be  destroyed  by  Antichrist,  nor  by  the 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  69 

Turk,  so  then,  according  to  their  interpretation,  it 
is  not  a  punishment  never  to  end.  Mr.  Perkins 
saith,  the  second  death  is  a  total  separation  from 
God;  if  so,  it  is  not  a  punishment  without  end;  for 
God  is  every  where.  Psalm  cxxxix.  7,  8;  and  if  they 
be  any  where,  how  are  they  absent  from  God.-* 

If  the  second  death  be  a  death,  it  is  not  a  life  of 
misery,  never  to  end;  that  is  not  a  death,  unless 
eternal  life  be  death.  They  confess  eternal  life  in 
misery  is  worse  than  death;  if  so,  it  is  not  a  death, 
but  another  thing. 

The  first  death  is  the  destruction  of  the  body,  a 
separation  of  soul  and  body;  the  second  death  must 
be  like  it;  the  second  de&th  is  an  image  of  the  first, 
else  how  is  it  a  death,  and  a  second  death.?  The 
second  Adam  being  man,  was  an  image  of  the  first; 
the  Scripture  saith,  the  second  death  is  like  the 
first,  Luke  vi.  1.  The  second  is  like  to  it,  Mat.  xxii. 
39,  therefore,  as  the  first  death,  so  the  second,  is  a 
separation  of  soul  and  body,  else  how  is  it  a  death, 
or  a  second  death.? 

Reuben,  by  going  into  his  father's  bed,  deserved 
a  judicial  legal  death,  but  did  not  die  for  it.  Gen. 
xlix.  3,  4,  XXXV.  22.  1  Chron.  v.  1.  Let  Reuben  live 
and  not  die,  Deut.  xxxiii.  6.  A  judicial  or  second 
death.  The  Jews  (Onkelos)  read  Deut.  xxxiii.  6. 
Let  Reuben  live  and  not  die  the  second  death,  and  Jon- 
athan on  Isa.  Ixvi.  6.  I  will  deliver  their  carcasses 
to  the  second  death;  and  ver.  17.  The  Lord  will 
slay  them  with  the  second  death.  By  which  it  ap- 
pears the  Jews  count  the  second  deaih  is  to  be 
slain;  and  if  so,  it  is  not  a  life  of  misery,  never  to 
7 


70  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

end,  as  some  say.  The  book  of  the  Revelation  speaks 
of  the  second  death:  Dr.  Featly,  and  Dr.  Lightfoot, 
and  others  say,  that  Book  treats  of  the  church,  and 
things  done  in  this  world;  and  if  so,  then  the  second 
death  is  a  punishment  of  this  life.  They  also  inter- 
pret heaven,  in  that  Book,  to  be  the  church;  and 
the  late  Annotations  on  the  Bible,  and  Mr.  Bright- 
man,  and  others,  on  Apoc.  xx.  10,  say,  that  the 
devil,  in  that  place,  is  the  great  Turk.* 

*  As  the  subject  of  the  second  death  is  one  of  considerable 
importance,  and  as  the  views  expressed  above  are  believed  not 
to  be  generally  correct,  we  subjoin  the  following  remarks, 
which  were  furnished  the  editor  of  this  edition  some  time 
since  by  a  highly  respected  clergyman  in  Vermont. 

'  The  phrase  second  death  occurs,  I  believe,  in  no  part  of  the 
Scriptures,  except  in  the  Apocalypse.  It  is  found,  Rev.  ii. 
11,  XX.  6,  14.  and  xxi.  8.  By  this  term  is  generally  under- 
stood ^nai  j9crdifiore> — eternal  sejjaration  from.  God,  and  exclu- 
sion from  heaven  and  happiness;  or,  in  other  words,  that  pun- 
ishment which  will  be  inflicted  on  sinners  in  a  future  and  im- 
mortal state  of  existence,  and  from  which  there  will  be  no  de- 
liverance. Respecting  this  book,  commentators  are  much  di- 
vided in  opinion  ;  not  only  as  it  respects  the  time  when — the 
person  by  whom  it  was  written,  but  ako,  as  to  the  time  when 
the  events  predicted  in  it  were  to  be  fulfilled.  It  is  not  my 
design,  at  this  time,  to  enter  into  a  discussion  of  these  points. 
In  a  series  of  articles  on  the  'coming  of  Christ,'  which  I  am 
prepaiing  for  publication,  I  intend,  more  fully  to  investigate 
these  particulars,  than  my  present  limits  will  permit.  Suffice 
it  to  say,  I  believe  with  Grotius,  Lightfoot,  Sir  Isaac  Newton, 
Bishop  Newton,  Wetstein,  and  many  other  learned  writers, 
that  this  book  was  written  before  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  ; 
and  this  opinion,  I  think,  is  clearly  supported  by  the  language 
of  the  Revelator,  both  at  the  beginning  and  close  of  the  book. 
The  first  and  third  verses  of  the  first  chapter,  appear  to  me 
most  clearly  to  establish  the  above  opinion.  *  The  Revelation 
of  Jesus  Christ,  which  God  gave  unto  him,  to  show  unto  his 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  71 

It  is  their  opinion,  which  implies  that  the  wages 
of  sin  is  not  death;  they  say  it  is  a  life  of  misery 
never  to  end,   which  is  worse  and  more  than  death; 

servants  things  which  must  shortly  come  to  pass  ;  and  he  sent 
and  signified  it  bv  his  angel  unto  his  servant  John  : — Blessed 
is  he  that  readeth,  and  they  that  hear  the  words  of  this  prophe- 
cy, and  keep  those  things  which  are  written  therein  ;  for  the 
time  is  at  hand.'  The  same  sentiment  is  clearly  expressed  in 
verses  10,  12,  and  20  of  the  last  chapter.  '  And  he  saith  unto 
me,  seal  not  the  sayings  of  the  prophecy  of  this  book  ;  for  the 
time  is  at  hand. — And  behold  I  come  quickly,  and  my  reward  is 
with  me,  to  give  every  man  according  as  his  work  shall  be. — 
He  which  testifies  these  things  saith,  surely  I  come  quickly.' 
Keeping  in  view  the  above  observations  relative  to  the  time 
when  the  predictions  contained  in  the  Apocalypse  should  be 
fulfilled,  we  shall  be  prepared  to  enter  directly  into  the  discus- 
sion of  the  question,  What  is  to  be  understood  by  the  words 
second  death  ? 

'  A  second  death  presupposes  ?i  first  which  is  to  be  suffered  be- 
fore the  infliction  of  the. second  ;  and  when  we  speak  of  a  first 
and  second  death,  or  of  a  first  and  second  thing  of  any  kind, 
we  naturally  suppose  that  some  analogy  exists  between  the 
two  deaths,  or  things  spoken  of.  Now,  on  tlie  supposition  that 
by  the  first  death  we  are  to  understand  the  death  of  the  body, 
and  by  the  second  the  endless  punishment  of  the  soul  in  hell, 
what  analogy  can  we  discover  ?  Natural  death,  or  the  death 
of  the  body,  is  an  extinction  of  life,  and  of  all  consciousness; 
it  destroys  all  sensation,  either  of  pleasure  or  pain,  and  places 
the  body  beyond  the  reach  of  happiness  or  misery.  But  is  this 
the  effect  which  the  second  death  is  supposed  to  produce  on 
the  soul  ?  No  ;  but  the  very  reverse.  Instead  of  terminating 
the  sufferings  which  had  been  previously  endured,  in  a  degree, 
it  increases  them  to  infinity,  and  perpetuates  them  to  all  eter- 
nity. 

*  But,  admitting  for  a  moment,  the  doctrine  of  endless  pun- 
ishment to  be  true,  and  that  this  punishment  is  properly  ex- 
pressed by  the  term  death;  can  we  with  propriety  call  it  the 


72  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

therefore  their  opinion  is  contrary  to  the  word  that 
sailh,  it  is  death.  Filled  with  all  unrighteousness , 
haters  of  God,  despiteful,  proud,  inventors  of  evil  things; 

second  death  ?  In  order  to  solve  this  question,  it  will  be  ne- 
cessary to  consider  the  different  deaths  mentioned  in  the 
Scriptures  ;  and  in  doin^  this,  we  will  refer  to  the  first  ac- 
count given  us  of  death,  in  the  Bible.  God  said  to  Adam,  *  in 
the  day  thou  eatest  thereof  thou  shall  surely  die.'  Adam  dis- 
obeved  the  divine  command  ;  he  ate  of  the  forbidden  fruit ;  and 
if  we  consider  the  denunciation  of  God  true,  we  must  believe 
that  he  died  the  death  with  which  he  was  threatened,  on  the 
day  hs  transgressed.  This  is  the  first  death  of  which  the 
Scriptures  give  us  any  account ;  and,  I  ask,  what  death  was 
this  ?  Not  a  natural  death,  or  death  of  the  body  ;  for,  although 
we  are  not  told  how  old  Adam  was  at  this  time,  we  are  inform- 
ed that  after  this  event  happened,  he  begat  sons  and  daughters  ; 
and  finall}',  that  he  died  at  tJie  age  of  nine  hundred  and  tliirty 
years.  The  question  returns;  what  death  did  Adam  die  on 
the  day  of  transgression  ?  Answer ;  the  very  death  with 
which  he  was  threatened.  He  died  to  innocence,  purity  and 
holiness.  He  died  to  the  enjoyment  of  that  peace  and  happi- 
ness, which  conscious  innocence  only  can  bestow  on  man. 
This  death  passes  upon  all  men,  not  only  in  the  daij,  but  in 
the  moment  of  transgression.  Hence,  the  Scriptures  teach  us, 
that  '  to  be  carnally  minded  is  death  ;'  that  we  are  '  dead  in 
trespasses  and  sins.'  If,  therefore,  what  is  usually  termed 
moral  death,  be  the  first  death  which  mankind  suffer,  (and  thisy 
I  think  will  not  be  disputed,)  natural  death,  or  the  dissolution 
of  the  body,  is  the  second ;  and  this  eternal  punishment,  if  it 
is  properly  expressed  by  the  word  death,  must  be  considered 
the  third  death. 

'  Having  now,  as  I  conceive,  ascertained  what  is  to  be  un- 
derstood by  iho  first  death  ;  let  us  search  for  a  second  death  to 
which'  mankind  are  exposed,  and  which  bears  some  resem- 
blance or  analogy  to  the  first.  And  here,  I  will  bring  into 
view  those  passages  where  the  phrase  '  second  death'  occurs. 
The  first  passage  is  Rev.  ii.  11,  'He  that  overcometh,  shall 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 


73 


they  that  commit  such  things  are  worthy  oj  death,  Rom. 

i.  29 32.     These  are  great   sinners;  yet  the  word 

saith  not  that  they   are   worthy  of  more  than  death; 

not  be  hurt  of  the  second  death.'     These  words  were  address- 
ed to  the  church  in  Smyrna ;  and  by  consulting  tlie  context, 
we  find  they  were  informed  of  some  of  the  trials  and  tribula- 
tions they  were  to  endure  from  their  enemies,  and  admonish- 
ed to  be  '  faithful  unlo  death.'     The  members  of  this  church, 
whether  converted  Jews  or  Gentiles,  were,  previous  to  their 
conversion  to  Christianity,  in  that  state,  \vhich,  in  Scripture, 
is  termed  dead  in  sin;—'  alienated  from  the  life  of  God  through 
the  ignorance  that  was  in  them.'     By  their  conversion,  they 
hecB^e  spiritually  alive,  for,  '  to  be  spiritually  minded  is  life 
and  peace.'     Our  Lord  had  predicted,  that  during  the  time  of 
unparalleled  tribulation  which  should  come   on    his  followers 
previous  to  his  coming  in  judgment  upon  Jerusalem  and  the 
Jewish  nation,  through  the   influence   of  false    prophets  and 
persecution,  the  '  love  of  many  should  wax  cold ;'  and  it  is  a 
well-known  fact,  that  at  thus  time,  many  renounced  Christiani- 
ty, and  turned  back  again  to  their  heathen  religion.     They 
became  a  second  time   dead ;  or,  in  other  words,  they  were 
'  hurt  of  the  second  death,'  and  their  last  state  was  worse  than 
their  first.     This  view  of  the  subject  is  supported  by  the  words 
of  the  Revelator  in  the  first  verse  of  the  next  chapter.     Ad- 
dressing the  angel  of  tiie  church  in  Sardis,  he  says,  '  I  know 
thy  works,  that  thou  hast  a  name,  that  thou  livest,  and  art 
dead:     This  church,  although  it  still  lived  in  name,  had  be- 
come cold  and  dead ;  spiritual  life  had  departed  from  it ;  and 
it  had  been  overcome  by  the  second  death.     Here,  then,  we 
find  a  death  which  some  had  suff'ered,  in  all  respects  similar 
to  the  first  death,  though  greater,  or  worse  in  degree;  as  it 
was  more  difficult  to  renew  one  who  was  under  the  influence 
of  this  death  to  spiritual  life,  than  to  convert  him  at  first. 

'  The  next  passages  where  this  phrase  occurs,  are  in  chap. 

XX.  verses  6  and  14.     '  Blessed  and  holy  is  he  that  hath  part 

in  the  first  resurrection  ;  on  such  the  second  death  hath  no 

power.     And  death  and  hell  were  cast  into  th     lake  of  fire. 

7* 


74  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

and  therefore  why  should  any  say,  they  are  worthy 
of  more  than  death?  And  if  the  end  of  these  things  is 
death,  Rom.  vi.  21,    therefore  there  is  not  anything 

This  is  the  second  death.'  In  this  chapter,  the  Revelator  ob- 
viously alludes  to  the  resurrection  mentioned  in  Dan.  xii.  2, 
and  referred  to  by  our  Lord,  John  v.  25.  That  the  prophet 
was  speaking  of  a  moral,  and  not  a  literal  resurrection,  there 
can  be  no  doubt  from  his  subsequent  language  ;  for  he  express- 
ly declares,  that  when  God  '  shall  have  accomplished  to  scat- 
ter the  power  of  the  holy  people,  all  these  things  shall  be  fin- 
ished.' Ver.  7.  As  the  time  was  at  hand  when  the  '  power  of 
the  holy  people  '  (i.  e.  the  Jews)  was  to  be  scattered  j  when 
the  kingdom  was  to  be  taken  from  them,  and  given  to  a  nation 
bringing  forth  the  fruits  thereof;  (Mat.  xxi.  43,)  and  when 
the  dead  Gentiles  were  to  be  raised  by  the  power  of  the  Gos- 
pel to  spiritual  life  ;  the  Revelator  could  with  the  greatest 
propriety  make  use  of  the  same  figurative  language  in  de- 
scril)ing  those  events  which  had  been  previously  usfed  by  the 
prophet  and  our  Saviour.  Christ  expressly  told  his  followers, 
that  those  who  endured  unto  the  end  of  those  trials  and  afflic- 
tions which  he  had  piedicted,  should  be  saved  ;  and  it  is  a  his- 
torical fact,  that  of  all  those  who  continued  faithful,  not  one 
was  known  to  have  perished  during  the  long  and  calamitous 
siege  and  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  the  Jewish  nation. — • 
Thus,  not  only  were  their  natural  lives  preserved  by  their 
obedience  to  the  instructions  of  their  Master,  but  they  contin- 
ued in  the  enjoyment  of  spiritual  life.  Over  them,  the  second 
death  had  no  power. 

*  The  only  remaining  passage  is  in  ch.  xxi.  8.  '  The  fearful  and 
unbelieving,  &c.  shall  have  their  part  in  the  lake  which  bunieth 
v'th  fire  and  brim.stone  ;  which  is  the  second  death.'  As  the  de- 
struction of  the  Jewish  nation  and  polity — the  abolition  of  the  le- 
gal dispensation,  which  was  a  ministration  of  death,  were  repre- 
sented by  the  casting  of  death  and  hell  into  the  lake  of  fire  ;  so 
the  establishment  on  earth  of  the  Me.ssiah's  kingdom;  that 
kingdom  which  was  to  come  to  the  children  of  men,  •  with  pow- 
er,' is  fitly  decribed  by  the  descending  of  the  '  holy  city.  New 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  75 

to  come  after  death,  2  Kings  vii.  4.  The  soul  that 
mnneth  shall  die,  Ezek.  xviii.  20;  that  is,  all  that  sin 
doth  bring  forth.  God,  in  giving  his  law,  did  express 
the  punishment  of  the  breach  of  it,  saying.  In  the 
day  that  thou  eutest  thereof  thou  shalt  surely  die, 
Gen.  ii.  17.  Dying  thou  shalt  die,  that  is,  natur- 
ally and  judicially.  JYot  touch  it  lest  ye  die,  Gon. 
iii.  3.  To  bear  iniquity,  is  to  die  for  it,  Lev.  xxii.  9. 
Numb,  xviii.  22.  That  one  man  die  for  the  people, 
John  xviii.  14.  The  body  is  dead  because  of  sin, 
Rom.  viii.  10.  He  that  is  dead  is  freed  from  sin,  Rom. 
vi.  7.  Neither  sin  nor  punishment  hath  anything 
to  do  with  a  dead  man.  This  iniquity  shall  not  be 
purged  from  you  till  ye  die;  then  it  is  purged  from 
them;  if  this  iniquity  be  purged  from  you  till  ye 
die,  we  learn  that  death  acquitteth,  Talm.  Jerus. 
Sanched.   fol.  27.  col.  3. 

After  man  had  sinned,  God  expounded  the  pun- 
ishment of  the  breach  of  his  law,  Gen.  iii.  14 — 20. 
It  is  evident  that  the  punishment  of  the  old  serpent 
the  devil,  and  of  the  woman,  and  of  the  man,  for 
their  sin,  are  only  punishments  of  this  life ;  there  is  not 
the  least  word  of  any  punishment  after  this  life,  much 
less  of  a  punishment  never  to  end.  So  that  by  that 
which  is  said,  we  may  judge  of  what  Mr.  Bolton 
and  others  say,  of  being  everlastingly  in  a  red  hot 
scorching  fire,  deprived  of  all  possibility    of  dying, 

Jerusalem,  from  God  out  of  hoaven  ;'  a  representation  of  which 
is  given  in  the  preceding  part  of  the  chapter.  And  as  the  char- 
acters described  in  this  verse  did  not  possess  the  spirit  of  this 
kingdom,  they  could  not  enjoy  its  life  ;  but,  with  the  unbeliev- 
ing Jews,  were  'cast  out  into  outer  darkness,'  and  fell  under 
the  power  of  the  second  death.' 


76  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

or  of  being  ever  consumed  in  torment  eternnWy^ 
They  say,  the  fire  of  hell  burneth  far  hotter  than 
ten  thousand  rivers  of  brimstone;  how  do  they  know 
this,  seeing  they  never  felt  it,  nor  any  others  who 
can  have  told  them  of  it?  Three  drops  of  brim- 
stone will  make  one  so  full  of  torment,  that  he  can- 
not forbear  roaring  out  for  pain;  yet  it  must  be 
borne  so  long  as  God  is  God.  O  eternity,  eternity, 
eternity  !  If  so,  they  shall  have  eternal  life,  which 
is  contrary  to  the  Scriptures,  as  hath  been  proved, 
and  is  therefore  to  be  rejected.  Also  they  say,  that 
the  souls  of  the  wicked  go  immediately,  at  death,  to 
hell,  to  the  devils,  contrary  to  Eccl.  iii.  21;  xii.  7. 
Gen.  ii.  7.  Heb.  xii.  9.  Zech,  xii.  1 .  If  the  devils  are 
in  hell  in  torment,  as  they  commonly  and  vainly  imag- 
ine, hell  is  in  the  wicked:  the  devil's  evil  spirits  are 
there,  and  rule  there  in  the  children  of  disobedience, 
Eph.  ii.  2.  1  Pet.  v.  8.  Jude  14.  Mat.  viii.  28;  xxv. 
39—41. 

Adam  in  innocency  being  a  natural  man,  he  had 
the  law  of  nature  written  in  his  heart;  the  breach 
of  that  natural  law  caused  a  temporal  curse  and 
punishment,  and  not  any  eternal.  They  that  think 
eternal  life  is  to  be  had  for  our  works,  our  well-doing, 
are  prone  to  think  eternal  life  may  be  lost  for  our 
not  well  doing:  but  the  way  of  the  gospel  places 
not  eternal  life  and  eternal  death  in  misery  upon  our 
doing,  Rom.  iv.  2 — 5.  Also  the  Scripture  speaketh 
not  of  an  eternal  death,  and  therefore  there  is  no 
such  thing. 

3.  Their  opinion  of  a  punishment  after  this  life 
never  to  end,  makes  not  sin,    but  Christ,  to  be  the 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  77 

cause  of  men's  thus  suffering.  This  is  evident,  be- 
cause if  Christ  had  not  come,  there  had  been  no 
resurrection:  and  if  no  resurrection,  there  could  be 
no  suffering  of  any  torment  after  this  life;  for  if 
there  were  no  resurrection,  men  would  perish  in 
their  graves:  that  would  be  their  ^nd.  If  Christ  be 
not  risen,  they  which  are  fallen  asleep  are  perished, 
]  Cor.  XV.  17,  18.  That  the  resurrection  came  by 
Jesus  Christ  is  also  evident,  because  Christ  saith, 
/  am  the  resurrection,  John  xi.  25.  By  man,  that  is 
Christ,  came  the  resurrection,  1  Cor.  xv.  21,  therefore 
it  is  called  the  resurrection  of  Christ,  1  Pet.  iii.  21. 
His  resurrection,  Kom.  vi.  5.  Phil.  iii.  10.  1  Pet.  i. 
21.  Christ  is  called  the  first  fruits,  because  he  first 
rose  from  the  dead;  after  him  others.  If  Christ  had 
not  risen,  no  man  should  ever  have  risen  from  the 
dead;  therefore  it  is  said,  they  came  out  of  their 
graves  after  his  resurrection.  Mat.  xxvii.  53.  And 
since  Christ  is  the  resurrection,  and  the  cause  of 
it,  inasmuch  as  it  came  by  him,  sure  none  will  deny, 
that  if  there  had  been  no  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
there  could  be  no  suffering  after  death,  so  long  as 
God  is  God;  therefore  it  follows,  if  any  shall  so  suf- 
fer, Christ  is  the  cause  of  it,  for  without  him  they 
could  not  have  lived  forever,  and  therefore  could 
not  suffer  forever.  And  is  it  not  very  hard  and 
unreasonable,  and  contrary  to  the  word,  to  charge 
Christ  to  be  the  cause  of  their  so  suffering?  seeing 
Christ  came  in  love  to  the  world,  John  iii.  16,  to  save, 
and  not  to  destroy,  Luke  ix.  56;  xix.  10,  not  to  make 
any  miserable;  he  came  to  save  sinners,  1  Tim,  i.  15. 
Luke  iv.  18.     He  rose    again    for  our  justification. 


78  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

Therefore,  if  none  can  so  suffer,  unless  Christ  be 
the  cause  of  it,  there  is  no  such  punishment  for  any 
to  endure,  never  to  end. 

4.  The  Scriptures  declare  what  Christ  came  to  do, 
namely,  to  deliver  us  from  the  hand  of  our  enemies, 
Luke  i.  74,  to  taste  death  for  every  man,  Heb.  ii.  9. 
See  Luke  iv.  18.  The  l&st  enemij  is  death,  1  Cor.  xv. 
26.  He  abolished  death,  2  Tim.  i.  10.  He  hath 
promised  deliverance  from  death  and  the  grave;  I 
will  redeem  them  from  death,  Hos.  xiii.  14.  He  that 
heepethmy  sayings  shall  not  see  death,  John  viii.  51, 
52.  O  death,  ivhere  is  thy  sting?  O  grave,  where  is 
thy  victory?  1  Cor.  xv.  55.  I  will  ransom  thee  from 
the  power  of  the  grave:  he  saith  .not  from  the  tor- 
ments of  hell,  nor  from  the  punishment  never  to  end. 
O  death,  I  will  be  thy  plagues!  O  grave,  1  ivill  be 
thy  destruction!  Hosea  xiii.  14.  So  that  if  there  be 
a  punishment  after  death  and  the  grave,  there  is  no 
mention  of  Christ's  delivering  us  from  it.  The 
Scripture  saith,  he  is  able  to  save  from  death,  Heb.  v. 
7:  this  is  as  much  as  to  say  that  salvation  from  death 
is  sufficient,  and  that  there  is  no  further  thing  to  be 
delivered  from  beyond  death  and  the  grave:  if  there 
were,  deliverance  from  these  would  not  be  satisfac- 
tory, because  not  sufficient:  for  if  there  is  to  be  a 
punishment  after  death,  who  shall  deliver  us  from 
that?  Christ  delivereth  from  death  and  the  grave; 
and  as  no  further  deliverance  from  anything  is  men- 
tioned, therefore  no  such  deliverance  was  necessary, 
nor  is  there  anything  of  the  kind  to  be  delivered 
from.  So  ye  may  see  that  their  opinion  makes  void 
Christ's  suffering,  and  the  saints'  comfort;  for   if  a 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  79 

punishment  never  to  end  be  due  to  man  for  sin, 
Christ  must  forever  suffer  that  punishment  to  free 
us  from  it,  or  we  must  suffer  it.  Protestant  writers 
confess,  that  the  way  and  means  by  which  Christ 
frees  us  from  the  punishment  of  sin,  is  by  his  suffer- 
ing that  punishment  which  we  were  to  suffer.  To 
this  the  Scriptures  agree,  Gal.  iii.  13.  Isa.  liii.  4 — 7. 
So  that  if  Christ  our  surety  hath  not  suffered  the 
said  torments  forever,  then  hath  not  Christ  suffered 
enough:  namely,  that  which  we  were  to  suffer;  and 
so  hath  not  delivered  us  from  that  punishment.  Thait 
Jesus  Christ  hath  not  so  suffered,  is  evident  and 
confessed  by  the  Protestant  writers.  Some  of  the 
Protestants  say,  (1.)  the  reprobates  in  hell  suffer  the 
want  of  vision  or  sight  of  God  forever,  final  rejec- 
tion. (2.)  They  shall  be  perplexed  with  the  horror 
of  a  guilty  conscience.  (3.)  Deprived  of  the  gifts  of 
the  Holy  Spirit.  (4.)  Instead  of  virtues,  they  are 
defiled  with  wickedness,  indignation,  desperation, 
Christ  suffered  none  of  these,  saith  Willet,  Synop. 
p.  1010.  Far  be  it  from  us  so  to  conceive,  p.  1014. 
Also  they  say,  (1.)  in  hell  is  inward  and  outward 
darkness;  (2.)  a  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone;  (3.) 
fire  unquenchable;  (4.)  worm  and  prick  of  con- 
science;  (5.)  malediction;  (6.)  desperation,  second 
death.  Christ  suffered  none  of  these;  therefore  he 
suffered  not  the  torments  of  hell;  they  do  not  be- 
lieve he  suffered  them  forever,  for  they  will  not  say 
he  is  now  in  that  place.  If  Christ  had  suffered  the 
pains  of  the  damned,  yet  unless  he  sufl^ered  them 
without  end,  he  suffered  not  the  punishment  of  the 
damned  in  hell,  which  they  say  we  were  to.  suffer. 


so  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

Also  they  say,  the  damned   suffer   not   those  tor- 
ments without  sin  and  desperation;  will  any  say  that 
Christ  so  suffered  also?     They    say,    in   hell   they 
shall  see  the  story  of  their  sins   before    their  eyes, 
the  wrath   of  God  lying   upon   them  for  their  sins, 
cruel  indignation,    horrible    outcries,    blasphemies, 
fretting  for  horrible  torments,    endless  pains,    with- 
out all  hope  or  comfort.     Who  dare  say,  Christ  suf- 
fered any  of  these?    Some,  that  are  for  the  torments, 
of  hell,  confess  that  it  stands   not   with  the   dignity 
and    worthiness   of  Christ's    person,    nor   with  the 
holiness  of  his  nature,  nor  the  dignity  of  his  office, 
to    suffer  in  that  local  place  eternally.     Final  rejec- 
tion, with  desperation,  with  the  worm  of  conscience, 
agreeth    not    to   the    holiness  of  his   person;   final 
rejection  Christ  suffered  not,  nor  eternal  flames,  nor 
the  second  death;   for  Christ  to    suffer   these,  were 
to    destroy   the   work   of   our   redemption.     Christ 
could  not  be  subject  to  destruction,  Willet's  Sijnop. 
p.  1009.  Christ  suffered  none  of  these  punishments, 
therefore  he  suffered    not   the   torments  of  hell. — 
Christ  was  heard,  in  that  he  feared.    Christ  did  not 
fear  the  torments  of  hell,   therefore   he  did  not  par- 
take with  us,  nor  deliver  us  from  them.     He  did  not 
deliver   us   from  anything    which  he  did  not  suffer: 
eternal  fire  in  hell  he  did  not  suffer,  nor  are  the  pains 
of  this  life  the  pains  of  hell,  as  they  understand  it ; 
therefore  if  there  be  any  such   hell    or  punishment, 
Christ  suffered  it  not,   and  therefore  we  must   suf- 
fer it. 

See  ye  not  whither  this  their  doctrine  tends  ?  to 
overthrow  the  sufficiency  of  Christ's  suffering,  and 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  81 

our  comfort,  in  leaving  us  to  suffer  the  said  torments 
ourselves;  Christ  leaving  his  suffering  an  example, 
ffwe  suffer  with  him,  &.c.  Rom.  viii.  17.  JNIust  we 
suffer  the  torments  of  hell?  I  believe  Christ  hath 
borne  the  whole  punishment  of  sin;  in  this  I  am 
satisfied,  and  desire  no  more;  but  how  Christ  suffer- 
ed the  torments  of  hell,  neither  I,  nor  they,  can  see. 
They  say,  Christ,  being  God,  made  an  infinite  satis- 
faction, paying  at  once  upon  the  cross  that  which 
we  should  have  been  forever  in  paying.  I  grant 
Christ  is  God;  but  the  Godhead  did  not,  and  could 
not  suffer.  If  the  Godhead  of  Chrjst  was  to  make 
satisfaction  to  God,  then  it  seems  God  satisfieth  God ; 
and  if  Christ  as  God  was  to  make  satisfaction,  to 
what  purpose  did  he  become  man  and  die.^  If  ye  say 
he  was  to  make  satisfaction  both  in  his  Godhead  and 
manhood,  doth  the  Godhead  need  the  help  of  the 
manhood  to  make  satisfaction  ? 

It  is  not.  proper  to  say,  God  was  to  be  satisfied; 
for  he  never  was  unsatisfied.  God  is  perfect,  infi- 
nite, happy,  unchangeable;  how  is  he  so,  if  he  were 
ever  unsatisfied?  To  say  God  is,  or  ever  was,  un- 
satisfied, is  in  effect  to  deny  the  being  of  God,  to 
say  he  is  not  happy;  for  satisfaction  and  content 
belong  to  happiness;  where  there  is  no  satisfaction, 
there  is  no  content  or  happiness,  because  no  perfec- 
tion. God  is  one;  to  us  there  is  but  one  God;  God 
was  in  Christ,  reconciling  the  world  to  himself,  2  Cor, 
V.  19,  that  is.  Father,  Word,  and  Spirit.  God  is  one, 
not  one  divine  nature  in  Christ  satisfying,  and  anoiU^ 
er  divine  nature  in  the  Father  satisfied;  but  the  Fa- 
ther in  the  Son,  God  in  Christ.  The  essence  of  God 
8 


82  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

is  one  and  the  same,  reconciling  the  world  to  himself. 
God  was  never  unreconciled  to  the  world;  it  is  only 
man  that  is  at  enmity   and  unreconciled;  therefore 
it    is    said,    he   reconciled   them   to   himself     The 
chancre  is  in  the  creature,  not  in  God,  Malachi  iii.  6. 
If  the  manhood  of  Christ  was  to  make    satisfaction 
to   God,  how  can  man,  who  is  finite,  satisfy   that 
which  is  infinite?     Unless  you  will  affirm  that  the 
Godhead  of  Christ  did  sufl^er,   there  was  not   any- 
thing to  suflfer  except  the   manhood   of  Christ;  can 
the  suffering  of  man  satisfy   God?     Man  is  finite;  so 
is  all  he  performs  or  suffers.     Sin  is  a  transgression 
of  the   law  ;   sin  is  a  disorder  of  the  creature's  first 
and  chief  being,  which  stands  in  righteousness,  and 
it  is  an  eclipse  of  the  glory  of  man.     Sin  is  a  defect, 
and  a  discovery  oT  the  weakness  and  mutability  of 
the  reasonable  creature.     Sin  cannot  impeach  God; 
if  thou  sinnest,  what  doest  thou  against  him"?     Or  if  thy 
righteousness  be  multiplied,  what  doest  thou  unto  him"? 
If  thou  be  righteous,  ivhat  givest  thou  unto  him,  or  what 
receiveth  he  at  thy  hand?     Thy  wickedness  may  hurt  a 
man  as  thou  art,  and  thy  righteousness  profit  the  Son  of 
man,  Job  xxxv.   6 — 8.     God  hath  all  satisfaction  in 
and  from  himself,  not  from   anything  without,  or  be- 
sides himself 

God  gave  not  a  law  to  himself  to  satisfy,  but  to  man; 
the  law  belongs  only  to  the  human  nature,  therefore 
Christ  was  a  man ;  he  took  on  him  the  form  of  a  servant, 
and  became  obedient  to  death,  the  death  of  the  C7vss,  Phil, 
ii.  7,  8.  A  body,  Heb.  x.  5.  Obedience  belongs  to 
the  human  will;  the  man  Christ  was  made  a  curse  for 
us;  he  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities ,  andivith  his  stripes 


TORMENTS    OF   HELL.  83 

we  are  healed,  Isa.  liii.  5.  10.  It  was  blood  that  wash- 
ed away  our  sins,  Rev.  i.  5.  Therefore  it  was  said, 
by  the  obedience  of  one  [man]  we  are  made  righteous, 
Rom.  V.  19.  The  word  saitli  not,  by  the  obedience 
of  God,  nor  of  God-man,  God  is  satisfied,  but  by  the 
obedience  of  one  man  we  are  made  righteous,  the 
man  ChHst  Jesus,  1  Tim.  ii.  5. 

The  worthiness  of  Christ's  person  did  not  abolish 
the  equity  of  God's  law,  and  exempt  him  from  suffer- 
ing that  which  he   ought  to  suffer,   Luke  xxiv.  26. 
Some   say,  the   suffering  of  Christ  was   infinite;   but 
the  word  saith  not  so;  the  punishment  of  sin  is  death  ; 
he  tasted   death,  he  died  for  us;   but  it  is  no  infinite 
thing  to  die.     They  reply,  the  sin  of  man  is  infinite, 
because  committed  against  an  infinite  God.     To  say 
sin  is  infinite,  in  a  strict  sense,  .is  to  attribute  too 
much  to  sin,   and  too  little  to  God;  to  give  that   to 
sin  which  is  proper  to  God.     To  make   sin  equal  to 
God,  is  in  effect  to  deny  the  being  of  God,  because 
there   can  be  but  one  infinite.     Also,   to  say  sin  is 
infinite,  is  to  make   all  sins  equal  in  enormity  and 
magnitude;  for  there  are  no  degrees  in  that  which  is 
infinite.     Sin  not  being  infinite   needs  not  an  infi- 
nite satisfaction.     They  say,  infinite  majesty  being 
offended,  infinite  punishment  was  imposed;  but  this 
is  only  their  say-so,  because  it  is  without  the  word  of 
God.     The  punishment  of  sin   is  not  to  be  taken 
from  the  infiniteness  of  God,  but  from   the   penalty 
expressed  in  his  law,  for  the  breach  of  it,  which  is 
death,  Gen.  ii.  17. 

5.   The  word  saith,  God's  fury  is  like  fire;  in  the 
fire  of  his  jealousy  he  shall  make  a  speedy  riddance  of 


84  TORMENTS   OF    HELL. 

all  them  in  the  day  of  the  Lord^s  wrath,  Zeph.  i.  18. 
But  to  continue  in  torment  forever  is  no  speedy  rid- 
dance; therefore  there  is  to  be  no  such  punishment. 
The  pouring  out  of  the  fiery  anger  of  the  Lord  is 
a  day,  Zeph.  i.  15,  18.  Rom.  ii.  5.  Ezek.  xiii.  14; 
xxii.  22,  Isa.  xiii.  9,  13.  The  day  of  the  Lord  is  at 
hand,  Isa.  xiii.  6.  Joel  i.  15.  A  punishment  never 
to  end  in  no  manner  corresponds  with  a  day;  there- 
fore there  shall  be  no  such  punishment. 

6.  The  doctrine  of  the  torments  oi  hell  never 
to  end,  hath  caused,  and  doth  daily  cause,  much 
sin: — 

1.  It  causeth  fear;  fear  hath  torment,  1  John  iv.  8. 
He  that  feareth  is  not  perfect  in  love,  1  John  iv.  18.  A 
servile  and  a  slavish  fear  is  sin. 

2.  It  causeth  many  evil  and  hard  thoughts  of 
God. 

3.  Fear  troubleth  the  hearts  of  many  of  the  Lord's 
people,  and  maheth  them  sad  with  their  lies.  God 
complains  of  this,  Ezek.  xiii.  22.  Their  lies  caused 
them  to  err,  after  which  their  fathers  ivalked,  Amos  ii. 
4.  Christ  saith,  Let  not  your  hearts  he  troubled,  John 
xiv.  1.  The  fear  of  hell  doth  greatly  trouble  the 
hearts  of  many.  It  is  God's  will  to  comfort  the  sad, 
to  release  them  that  are  bound,  'Isa.  xl.  5,  9;  Ixi. 
1 — 4.  Jl  word  fitly  spoken  is  like  apples  of  gold  in 
pictures  of  silver,  Prov.  xxv.  11. 

4.  Fear  distracts  and  greatly  discourages  the 
soul,  hinders  faith;  that  which  delivers  the  soul  from 
fear,  fits  it  to  strve  God  without  fear,  in  holiness  and 
righteousness,  all  the  days  of  our  lives,  Luke  i,  74^ 
75. 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL,  85 

5.  Fear  unfits  and  disables  the  soul  in  regard  to 
every  good  work  towards  God  or  man ;  it  unfits  for 
any  outward  occasion;  it  is  a  weight  that  depresses 
the  soul,  and  makes  it  weak;  it  straiteneth  the 
heart;  but  hope  comforteth  and  enlargeth  it. 

6.  The  doctrine  of  hell-torments  provokes  the 
soul  to  envy  and  unbelief,  and  hinders  subjection  to 
God.  If  the  soul  apprehends  itself  liable  to  so  great 
and  everlasting  punishment,  it  cannot  submit  to  God, 
nor  be  quiet.  This  caused  Francis  Spira  to  wish  he 
were  above  God,  The  iight  of  truth  causes  the  soul 
to  sin  less,  and  to  be  less  troubled,  to  have  fewer 
hard  thoughts  of  God,  and  less  to  fret  against  the 
Lord. 

7.  This  doctrine  causes  an  exceeding  and  unrea- 
sonable trouble  of  mind,  and  melancholy.  Such  trou- 
ble is  sin,  John  xiv.  1,  A  merry  heart  doeth  good, 
Prov.  xvii.  22.  The  knowledge  of  the  truth  in  re- 
gard to  this  subject  gives  peace  to  the  fearful  mind, 
and  causes,  as  it  were,  a  heaven  upon  earth. 

8.  This  doctrine  hath  caused  many  to  murder 
themselves,  taking  away  their  own  lives  by  poison, 
stabbing,  drowning,  hanging,  strangling,  and  shoot- 
ing themselves,  casting  themselves  out  of  windows, 
and  from  high  places,  to  break  their  necks,  and  by 
other  kinds  of  death,  that  they  might  not  live  to  in- 
crease their  sin,  and  increase  their  torments  in  hell.* 

*  Here  we  see  the  same  dreadful  effects  attended  the  doc- 
trine of  endless  misery  nearly  two  hundred  years  ago  which 
attend  it  now.  It  was  then  the  cause  of  anxiety,  despair,  and 
suicide,  as  we  suppose  it  always  was  before,  where  fully  be- 
lieved, and  as  we  know  it  has  been  of  late  years.  Let  posteri- 
ty know,  that  within  the  last  ten  years,  there  have  been  a 
large  number  of  suicides,  which  must  be  attributed  to  the  doc- 
8* 


86  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

9.  This  doctrine  provoketh  to  the  greatest  sins, 
as  despair;  also  to  the  wickedness  which  the  world 
lieth  in,  namely,  working  for  life,  to  perform  duties 
to  escape  hell  and  obtain  heaven,  which  is  to  tread 
underfoot  the  blood  of  Christ  as  an  unholy  thing,  Heb. 
X.  29,  in  seeking  to  be  justified  by  the  law  of  works, 
and  not  alone  by  the  perfect  righteousness  of  Jesus 
Christ,  Rev.  i.  5.  Jer.  xxiii.  6.    Heb.  x.  10,  14. 

10.  Freedom  from  fear  causes  love;  love  causes 
service;  the  love  of  Christ  constraineth;  it  tends  to 
the  comfort  of  many,  who  through  weakness  of  faith 
give  way  to  Satan's  temptations.  To  fear  the  tor- 
ments of  hell  causes  a  feeble  mind ;  comfort  the  fee- 
ble minded,  1  Thes.  v.  14.  It  is  a  comfort  to  many, 
whose  children  and  friends  die,  and  leave  no  testi- 
mony of  their  conversion,  to  be  free  from  this  fear; 
for  the  fear  that  they  are  to  suffer  so  great  and  end- 
less torment,  hath  saddened  and  troubled  the  heart 
of  many  a  parent  and  friend. 

11.  God  hath  said,  heivill  not  contend  forever,  nor 
be  always  wroth;  for  the  spirit  would  fail  before  him, 
and  the  souls  he  has  made,  Isa.  Ivii.  16.  Man  is  not 
able  to  dwell  with  everlasting  burnings,  Isa.  xxxiii.  14. 
To  be  in  so  great  a  torment  as  they  speak  of,  with- 
out end,  ease,  and  refreshment,  the  spirit  must  fail, 
(a  small  thing  will  make   the   spirit  fail;)  and  if  so, 

trine  of  endless  torment.  That  doctrine  makes  men  melan- 
choly ;  it  drives  them  to  despair  ;  they  know  not  what  to  do  ; 
and  they  sever  the  brittle  thread.  Fathers  and  mothers,  in  re- 
peated instances  in  the  United  States,  have  murdered  their 
children,  lest  they  should  grow  up,  and  commit  sin,  and  be 
damned.  Can  a  doctrine  which  produces  such  dreadful  con- 
sequences be  the  doctrine  of  God  ? — Ed. 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  87 

the  reason  is  the    same  against  the  being  of  a  pun- 
ishment never  to  end. 

8.  It  is  not  agreeable  to  the  God  of  nature  to  go 
contrary  to  the  law  of  nature,  which  he  hath  written 
in  the  hearts  of  mankind.  There  is  implanted  in 
man  a  universal  love  to  man,  especially  to  their  own 
offspring,  whether  obedient  or  disobedient.  How 
strong  is  the  love  of  parents  to  their  offspring  when 
in  misery,  and  to  others  also  in  misery  and  want  ! 
Surely  no  man  doth  desire  that  any  man  or  creature 
should' endure  the  torments  they  speak  of,  one  year, 
much  less  their  own  children;  how  then  may  I,  or 
can  I,  think  God  to  be  less  compassionate,  less  mer- 
ciful than  cruel  man  (Jer.  1.  24;  vi.  23.  Hos.  iv.  1. 
Isaiah  xlix.  15,)  to  his  offspring?  fVe  are  all  his 
offspring,  Acts  xvii.  28.  Surely  God  exceeds  man 
in  goodness;  if  ye  being  evil  know  how  to  give  good 
things  to  your  children,  how  much  more  shall  your 
heavenly  Father  give  good  things  to  them  that  ask  him. 
Mat.  vii.  8 — 11.  Thou  Lord  art  good,  and  doest 
good,  Psalm  cxix.  68.  Mat.  v.  45.  Though  they 
were  evil,  and  did  evil,  God  did  good,  and  gave  rain, 
Acts  xiv.  17.  They  say  the  fire,  Dan.  iii.  21,  is 
nothing  to  hell,  and  that  the  greatest  torment  man 
can  devise  is  scarcely  a  shadow  to  that  in  hell;  by 
%which  they  declare  God  to  be  more  cruel  than  man. 

9.  If  man  had  deserved  so  great  punishment,  why 
may  not  God  show  so  much  mercy  as  not  to  inflict 
it,  as  well  as  to  let  his  sun  shine,  and  his  rain  fall, 
on  them  that  do  not  deserve  it,  seeing  he  could  (if 
he  so  pleased)  hinder  it.''  We  see  men  show  more 
kindness  to  a  rebellious   and  disobedient  child  than 


88  TORMENTS    OP    HELL. 

he  deserveth;  may  not  God  do  the  same?  So  much 
as  God  is  greater  than  man,  so  much  greater  is  his 
mercy,  love,  and  goodness,  than  that  which  exists 
in  man;  yea  than  that  which  is,  or  ever  was,  in  all 
men.  All  their  love,  and  mercy,  and  goodness, 
came  fVom  him;  and  it  is  all  but  as  the  least  drop, 
compared  with  that  great  sea  and  ocean  of  mercy 
and  love,  which  is  in  him.  How  little  a  portion  is 
heard  of  him"?  Job  xxvi.  14.  All  nations  before  him 
are  as  nothing,  and  they  are  counted  to  him  less  than 
nothing,  and  vanity,  Isa.  xl.  12,  15,  17,  22.  O  how 
great  is  he  that  hangeth  the  earth  upon  nothing!  Job 
xxvi.  7.  He  can  and  will  do  for  the  worst  creature 
far  above  that  which  it  is  able  to  ask  or  think. 

10.  God's  general  goodness  in  the  creation  of  the 
world  extends  to  all  his  creatures;  and  also  in  his 
ordinary  dispensations,  it  extends  towards  the  whole 
universe  of  mankind,  and  is  for  their  benefit.  He 
hath  provided  room  enough  for  all  men  and  crea- 
tures, and  all  good  things  for  all;  the  profit  of  the 
earth  is  for  all,  Eccl.  v.  9.  God  hath  commanded 
us  to  do  good  unto  all ;  he  that  hath  two  coats  is  to 
impart  to  him  that  hath  none;  and  he  that  hath  meat 
must  do  so  likewise,  Luke  iii.  11.  All  this  mani- 
fests God's  good  will,  and  the  care  he  exercises  over 
mankind;  he  that  would  not  have  them  suffer  the 
torment  of  misery  and  want,  that  taketh  care  to 
prevent  that  little  and  short  misery,  will  not  impose 
a  far  greater  torment,  never  to  end. 

11.  The  doctrine  of  hell-torments  lesseneth  the 
goodness  of  God,  and  limits  it  to  a  few,  whereas  the 
Scripture   declares   it   extends  to  all,  Rom.  v.,  the 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  89 

whole  chapter.  The  creature  itself  shall  be  delivered 
from  the  bondage  of  corruption  into  the  glorious  liberty 
of  the  sons  of  God,  Rom.  viii.  21.  The  whole  crea- 
tion, and  every  creature,  angels  and  men,  Jews  and 
Gentiles,  ver.  20.  Mark  xvi.  15,  in  bondage  to  cor-' 
ruption,  subject  to  vanity,  idolatry,  and  delusion  of 
the  devil,  who  know  not,  nor  partake  of  the  glorious 
liberty  of  the  sons  of  God,  shall  be  delivered  from 
this  bondage  into  the  said  liberty;  for  God  ivas  in 
Christ,  reconciling  the  world  to  himself,  2  Cor.  v.  19. 
This  is  spoken  to  persuade  them  to  be  reconciled  to 
God,  ver.  20,  which  shows  it  to  concern  mankind. 
The  Protestants  in  Poland  understand  by  every 
creature,  angels  and  men:  they  say  there  will  come 
a  time,  when  the  angels  and  wickedest  men  shall  be 
freed.  Origen,  one  of  the  Fathers,  held,  that  all 
should  at  last  be  saved,  men  and  devils.  The  gener- 
ality of  the  Fathers  held,  that  all  souls  shall  be  purg- 
ed by  the  fire  of  the  last  judgment,  and  so  pass  to 
salvation,  Moulin,  p.  135.  See  Rom.  xi.  22,  23,  27. 
All  flesh  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God,  Luke  iii.  6. 
See  1  Tim.  ii.  3 — 6.  Isa.  xlv.  17.  TJie  glory  of  the 
Lord  shall  be  revealed,  and  all  flesh  shall  see  it,  Isa. 
xl.  5.  The  times  of  the  restitution  of  all  things,  which 
God  hath  spoken  by  the  mouth  of  his  holy  j^'^'ophets 
since  the  world  began,  Acts  iii.  21.  They  shall  in 
time  be  delivered  from  their  bondage,  for  which  de- 
liverance they  groan.  Are  not  all,  angels  and  men, 
obedient  or  disobedient,  the  creation  of  Goi?  If 
so,  the  worst  shall  partake  of  the  liberty  of  the  sons 
of    God  ?      As    the    whole    creation    came    from 


90  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

God,  (or  rather  is  in  God,  for  i?i  him  we  live)  it 
shall  be  taken  up  into  the  same  glory.  A  good  can- 
not extend  too  widely ;  the  farther  it  extends,  the 
better.  If  it  be  good  to  show  mercy  to  some,  is  it 
not  more  good  to  have  mercij  on  all  7  Rom.  v.  18. 
Plato  could  say,  God  being  a  supreme  good,  there 
was  no  envy  in  him  towards  any  of  his  creatures, 
but  rather  a  desire  that  all  might  be  made  like  him. 
This  is  a  great  and  glorious  discovery  of  God.  In 
him  we  live  and  move  and  have  our  being;  as  cer- 
tain also  of  your  own  poets  have  said;  for  we  are  all 
his  offspring.  Acts  xvii.  28.  I  have  wondered  how 
the  heathen  poets  came  to  know  this  truth;  surely 
God  did  manifest  it  unto  them.  If  all  men  are  in 
God,  all  men  are  in  Christ;  for  Christ  saith,  I  and 
my  Father  are  one,  John  x.  30.  Also,  if  all  men 
are  in  God,  (in  him  we  live  and  move,  <Src.,)  then  all 
men  are  in  Christ ;  for  God  was  in  Christ  reconciling 
the  world  unto  himself,  2  Cor.  v.  19.  All  confess 
that  all  who  are  in  Christ  shall  be  saved:  as  in  Adam 
all  die,  even  so  in  Chist  shall  all  be  made  alive,  1  Cor. 
XV.  22.  I  see  God  is  good,  and  dolh  good,  and  it  is 
suitable  to  the  being  of  God  to  do  good  to  all,  and 
no  such  torment,  of  such  continuance,  is  agreeable 
to  the  mind  and  will  of  God. 

Rom.  chap.  v.  puts  the  second  Adam  in  oppo- 
sition to  the  first,  his  saving  to  his  sinning.  If  all 
nations  be  blessed.  Gen.  xxii.  18,  every  particular 
is  comprehended  in  the  general  word  All.  It  is  a 
great  lessening  of  the  greatness  and  glory,  of  the 
fullness  and  riches,  of  God's  grace,  to  say  that  God 
hath  made  this  world  for  all,  who  are  many,  and  th© 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  9l 

World  to  come,  far  better  than  this,  for  only  a  very 
few.  Shall  the  fruit  of  Christ,  the  sun  of  righte- 
ousness, be  more  narrow  and  confined  than  that  of 
the  sun  in  the  firmament,  whose  excellency  is,"  that 
its  bright  rays  and  b^ams  are  dispersed  into  every 
corner  of  the  universe? 

12.  The  doctrine  of  hell-torments  is  not  agreeable 
to  the  spirit  of  a  saint.  We  may  know  the  mind  of 
God  by  the  mind  of  a  saint ;  we  have  the  mind  of 
Christy  1  Cor.  ii.  16.  He  that  is  turned  to  the  Lordis 
one  spirit,  1  Cor.  vi.  17.  God  is  in  them,  of  a  truth, 
1  Cor.  xiv.  25.  Christ  in  us,  Col.  i.  27.  Stephen, 
when  stoned,  cried,  Lord,  lay  not  this  sin  to  their 
charge,  Acts  vii.  60.  Saints  are  ever  merciful,  Psalm 
xxxvii.  26.  The  desire  of  the  righteous  is  only  good, 
Prov.  xi.  23.  Such  torment,  of  such  continuance, 
is  by  no  means  agreeable  to  the  gracious  mind,  and 
merciful  heart  of  a  saint;  he  desires  not  any  man  or 
creature  to  be  in  such  torment  an  hour;  therefore 
such  torments  cannot  be  agreeable  to  the  mind  of 
God.  We  find  that  the  more  fully  the  Lord  mani- 
fests himself  in  any  of  his  people,  the  more  their 
minds  are  humbled,  the  more  loving  and  merciful 
they  are,  even  to  their  enemies,  and  can  do  them 
good  for  evil. 

13.  Such  torments  do  not  in  the  least  correspond 
with  the  mind  and  will  of  Christ.  He  is  full  of  love 
and  mercy  to  the  worst  men:  it  was  truly  said  of 
him,  he  was  a  friend  to  publicans  and  sinners;  he 
was  their  best  friend.  When  they  crucified  him,  he 
said,  Father,  forgive  them,  Luke  xxiii.  34.  When 
the  disciples  would  have  had  fire  come  down   from 


92  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

heaven  to  consume  his  enemies,  he  rebuked  them, 
Luke  ix.  54,  55.  He  that  will  by  no  means  allow 
his  enemies  to  suffer  a  short  death  by  fire,  will  not 
inflict  upon  them  a  more  terrible  tire  never  to  end. 
Ye  may  know  the  mind  of  God  by  the  mind  of  Christ, 
for  Christ  is  God,  alike,  equal,  Acts  xx.  28.  Heb.  i.  3. 
And  as  one ;   /  and  mij  Father'  are  one,  John  x.  30. 

14.  Such  punishments  do  not  correspond  with  the 
fruits  of  the  holy  and  blessed  God.  Thefruitofthe 
Spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace,  goodness,  S^c.  Gal.  v.  22.  23. 
The  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  in  all  goodness,  Eph.  v.  9. 
The  words  of  the  Lord  are  pure  words.  Psalm  xii.  6. 
The  words  of  the  pure  are  pleasant  words,  Prov.  xv. 
26.  Good  words,  comfortable  words.  The  Holy  Spi- 
rit is  called  a  comforter,  not  a  tormentor.  The  pure 
spiiii  of  love  sends  forth  only  love  and  sweetness. 

15.  Such  torment  does  not  correspond  with  the 
nature  of  God.  God  is  love,  1  John  iv.  16.  It  is  his 
nature;  there  is  no  anger  or  fury  in  love;  fury  is  not 
in  me,  Isa.  xxvii.  4.  God  wills  us  to  love  our  ene- 
mies, who  abuse,  wrong,  and  hate  us;  much  more 
will  God  love  his  enemies,  Luke  vi.  35.  If  God 
should  love  only  them  who  love  him,  do  not  even  the 
publicans  the  same"?  Mat.  v.  46.  All  that  is  in  God 
is  infinite.  God  is  love;  his  love  therefore  is  in- 
finite, without  bounds  or  limits,  though  we,  in  our 
shallowness  and  narrowness,  have  often  set  bounds 
and  limits  to  that  which  is  infinite.  There  never 
was  any  beginning  in  God,  therefore  no  beginning 
of  his  love.  The  infinite  blessed  God  is  one  and  al- 
ways the  same;  lam  the  Lord,  I  change  not,  Malachi 
iii.  6.    This  love  delights  in  mercy  and  love,  and  not 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  93 

in  the  punishing  of  sin;  that  is  his  strange  work,  Isa. 
xxviii.  21.  Christ  died  to  answer  the  law  which  we 
transgressed. 

Christ  did  not  purchase  the  love  of  God;  he  loved 
us  before  the  world  began,  and  ever  will,  John  xiii. 
1.  God  was  never  destitute  of  love.  Christ  saith, 
Thou  hast  loved  them  as  thou  hast  loved  me,  John  xvii. 
23.  At  what  shall  God  be  angry,  or  dissatisfied? 
God  was  never  angry  vvith  Christ  nor  his  people, 
nor  at  the  being  of  sin,  nor  at  Christ's  taking  our 
sins  upon  him;  for  he  laid  them  on  him,  even  the  in- 
iquity of  us  all,  Isa.  liii   6. 

16.  It  is  not  suitable  to  the  mercifulness  of  a 
father  towards  his  child,  of  a  creator  to  his  creature, 
the  work  of  his  hands,  to  impose  so  great  a  punish- 
ment without  end,  upon  any  of  them:  that  would  be 
worse  than  to  forsake  the  works  of  his  hands,  and  is 
contrary  to  Psalm  cxlv.  8,  9.  Your  heavenly  Father 
is  merciful,  Luke  vi.  36.  Richinmercy,  Eph.  ii.  4. 
The  Lord  is  gracious,  of  great  mercy ;  the  Lord  is 
good  to  all,  and  his  tender  mercies  are  over  all  his  works. 
Ml  thy  works  shall  praise  thee,  and  thy  saints  shall 
bless  thee,  Psalm  cxlv.  8 — 10.  He  is  good  to  all, 
he  despiseth  not  any.  Job  xxxvi.  5,  and  no  respecter  of 
persons.  Acts  x.  rM. 

17.  Sin  cannot  overcome  the  love  of  God;  ivhere 
sin  hath  abounded,  grace  did  much  more  abound,  Rom. 
v.  20.  This  declares  the  mercy  of  God  to  be  greater 
than  sin;  if  so,  the  grace  of  God  is  to  all,  to  the 
worst,  for  sin  abounds  in  them  most:  and  where  sin 
abounds,  grace  abounds  much  more;  if  so,  then  all 
their  sins  shall  be  forgiven.     If  any    are  to   suffer 

9 


94  TORMENTS    OF    HELL. 

endless  torment  for  their  sins,  how  has  grace  aboun- 
ded to  them  much  more  than  their  sins?  Answer 
this  if  you  can.  With  the  Lord  there  is  memj,  Psalm 
cxxx.  7.  The  Lord  is  good  to  all;  therefore  to  the 
worst  of  men;  His  tender  mercies  are  over  all  his 
works;  therefore  over  the  worst  of  men,  for  they 
are  the  works  of  his  hands,  Isaiah  Ixiv.  8.  There- 
fore there  is  no  punishment  for  any  to  endure,  never 
to  end.  He  that  bids  us  not  to  be  overcome  by 
evil,  but  to  overcome  evil  with  good,  will  not  himself 
be  overcome  by  evil,  but  will  overcome  all  evil  with 
his  infinite  goodness.  That  which  is  finite  cannot 
possibly  overcome  that  which  is  infinite. 

18.  God  is  just;  therefore  he  will  not  do  any- 
thing which  is  not  just  and  right.  The  greatest  pun- 
ishment of  the  breach  of  his  law  is  death.  He  will 
not  inflict  another,  much  less,  a  worse  punishment 
than  he  hath  expressed  in  his  law.  Justice  is  in 
number,  weight,  and  measure;  God  requires  things 
equal.  Ye  may  see  the  mind  of  God  in  his  com- 
mand, forbidding  anything  to  be  done,  but  that 
which  is  equal  and  suitable  to  the  fact;  as  eye  for 
eye,  tooth  for  tooth,  foot  for  foot,  stripe  for  stripe, 
Exod.  xxi.  24 — 26.  How  much  she  hath  glorified  her- 
self, and  lived  deliciously,  so  much  torment  and  sorrow 
give  her,  Rev.  xviii.  7.  What  measure  you  mete  to 
others,  shall  be  measured  to  you  again.  Murder,  a 
horrible  and  grievous  sin,  is  punished  with  an  equal 
punishment  in  this  life, — life  for  life;  he  that  sheddeth 
man's  blood,  by  man  shall  his  blood  be  shed,  Gen.  ix.  6. 
Life  for  life  is  equal;  but  to  lose  life  for  life,  and 
also  to  suffer  an  endless  punishment  in  addition,  is 
not  equal. 


TORMENTS    OF    HELL.  95 

19.  It  is  no  profit  nor  pleasure  to  God  that  any 
should  suffer  endless  torment;  lie  hath  no  -pleasure  in 
the  death  of  any,  Ezek.  xviii.  31,32.  Much  less 
can  it  be  any  pleasure  to  him  that  any  should  suffer 
a  torment  never  to  end.  He  desires  mercy,  and  not 
sacrifice,  Mic.  vi.  6.  If  so,  he  desires  not  that  any 
should  be  so  sacrificed  in  a  torment  never  to  end. 
God  abhors  cruelty,  Amos  i.  3,  6,  13,  and  casting 
off  pity, 

20.  It  is  not  for  the  glory  of  God  to  impose  endless 
torments  on  any.  Glory  consisteth  not  in  imposing 
great  and  terrible  punishments;  that  belongeth  to 
cruelty,  and  is  abhorred  by  the  light  of  nature. 
Glory  consisteth  in  great  mercy  and  forgiveness, 
Exod.  xxxiv.  6,  7.  The  greater  the  mercy  and  for- 
giveness, the  greater  is  the  grace,  and  the  more  it 
redounds  to  the  glory  of  God.  Love  covereih  all 
sins,  Prov.  x.  12.  He  that  covereth  tsansgression 
seeketh  love,  Prov.  xvii.  9.  If  man's  glornj  is  to  pass 
over  transgression,  (Prov.  xix.  11,)  much  more  is  it 
for  the  glory  of  God  to  do  so.  God  made  all  things, 
and  doeth  all  things  for  his  glory;  he  seeketh  his 
glory  in  the  exceeding  gri9atness  and  riches  of  his 
grace,  Eph.  ii.  7.  It  is  more  for  his  glory  to  save 
all,  than  to  save  a  few.  By  the  righteousness  of  one, 
the  free  gift  came  upon  all  men  unto  justification  of 
life,  Rom.  v.  18.  Sin  could  not  hinder  Manasses, 
Mary  Magdalen,  persecutors,  and  wicked  prodigals, 
from  finding  mercy.  It  cannot  be  that  cruelty 
dwells  in  God,  who  is  love,  and  whose  goodness  is 
unsearchable,  past  finding  out,  far  above  all  we  can 
ask  or  think.  There  is  such  a  confused  noise  among 


96  TORMENTS    OP    HELL. 

men,  of  the  grace  and  love  of  God,  so  many  voices 
that  we  are  in  confusion,  and  know  not  what  to  make 
of  it.  Look  above,  and  hearken  to  the  sweet  voice 
in  the  region  of  love.  What  are  the  voices  in 
heaven?  they  agree  in  one:  no  voice  comes  from 
heaven,  but  love,  peace,  and  good  will  to  man.  Let 
men  say  what  they  will,  I  rest  satisfied  in  the  voice 
above,  which  is  a  voice  of  love  and  good  will.  This 
is  enough  to  satisfy  any  one  who  has  doubted:  and 
suddenly  there  was  with  the  angel  a  multitude  of  the 
heavenly  host,  praising  God,  and  saying,  Glory  be  to 
God  in  the  highest,  and  on  earth  peace,  good  will  to- 
wards men,  Luke  ii.  13,  14,  not  only  to  some  men,  but 
to  all  people,  ver.  10.  This  is  glad  tidings  indeed, 
good  news  from  heaven,  the  best  news  that  ever 
was,  that  God  hath  good  will  to  men;  there  is  no  ill 
will,  all  is  good  will  to  men;  this  causeth  peace 
and  praise.  Glory  be  to  the  Highest  for  his  sweet 
peace  and  good  will  to  men,  to  all  people. 

To  conclude: — In  reading  the  Scriptures,  we  are 
not  to  understand  any  text  in  such  a  sense  as  is  not 
plain  in  Scripture,  or  is  contrary  to  Scripture,  or 
contrary  to  the  law  of  nature,  or  contrary  to  the 
general  goodness  of  God  to  mankind,  or  contrary 
to  the  gracious  spirit  and  mercifulness  of  a  saint,  or 
contrary  to  the  mind  of  Christ,  which  he  declared 
when  on  earth,  or  contrary  to  the  fruits  of  the  bless- 
ed spirit,  the  nature  of  the  love,  goodness,  and  mer- 
cy of  God;  or  in  such  a  sense  as  shall  tend  to  con- 
tradict or  lessen  the  glory  of  God,  or  lessen  the 
greatness  and  riches  of  his  grace;  for  it  is  not  to 
be  imagined  that  God,  who  is  only  wise,  should  do 
and  teach  contrary  things. 


TOUMENTS    OP    HELL.  97 

Sure  I  am,  from  hence  arises  no  inconveniency  to 
the  gospel,  nor  is  it  any  dishonor  to  God,  nor  any 
grief,  nor  any  obstacle  to  the  faith  and  love  of  any 
good  man,  nor  any  discouragement  to  any  man  in 
serving  God,  that  there  is  not  to  be  a  punishment  for 
any  to  endure,  that  shall  never  end.  Nothing  can 
be  more  plain  than  that  which  hath  been  said,  to 
any  one  who  will  agre€  to  the  truth.  Some  will  not 
agree  to  anything  though  ever  so  plain  and  certain, 
if  it  be  contrary  to  the  tradition  of  their  fathers  : 
this  their  way  is  their  folly;  and  their  posterity 
approve  their  sayings,  Psalm  xlix.  13.  Who  hath 
believed  our  report,  and  to  vjhom  is  the  arm  of  the  Lord 
revealed  ?   Isa.  liii.  1. 

Some  believed  the  things  that  were  spoken,  and  some 
believed  not,  Acts  xxviii.  24.  They  make  a  man  an 
offender  for  a  word,  and  lay  a  snare  for  him  that 
reproveth  in  the  gate,  and  turn  away  the  just  for  a 
thing  of  naught.   Isa.  xxix.  21. 

O  God  the  Lord,  the  strength  of  my  salvation,  thou 
hast  covered  my  head  in  the  day  of  battle^  Psalm  cxl. 
7.     So  be  it. 


j:nb. 


NATURAL  AND    REVEALED 

RELIGION 

EXP^LAIJ^ING   EACH    OTHER: 
IN  .TWO   ESSAYS: 

*      TOE     FIRST    SHOWING    WH\T     RELIGION     IS     ESSENTIAL 
TO    MAN  :       THE    SECOND,    THE    STATE    OF    SOULS 
AFTER     DEATH    AS    DISCOVERED    BY 

REVELATION. 


The  following  Essays  are  copied  from  the  "  Harlei- 
an  Miscellany,"  published  in  1745,  a  work  which  was 
made  up  of  a  collection  of  scarce,  curious,  and  enter- 
taining pamphlets  and  tracts,  as  well  in  manuscript  as 
in  print,  found  in  the  Earl  of  Oxford's  Library.  It 
will  probably  never  be  known  who  was  the  author 
of  the  Essays.  They  were  found  in  the  library  of  the 
Earl,  and  had  never  before  been  published.  See 
"  Modern  History  of  Universalism,"  pp.  80-83. 

Editor. 


NATURAL    AND    REVEALED 

RELIGION. 


ESSAY  I. 
On  the  Religion  essential  to  Man. 

In  Religion,  all  true  principles  must  depend  upoo 
one  only  principle;  this  only  principle  is  that  of  a 
self-sufficient  being. 

Every  relation  between  two  intelligent  beings  is 
necessarily  founded  in  the  nature  of  both.  Now  re- 
ligion is  essantially  no  more  than  a  relation  between 
Grod  and  man.  It  can  therefore  be  founded  only  in 
the  nature  of  these  two  beings. 

Then  every  point  of  doctrine,  every  opinion,  which 
is  evidently  opposite  as  well  to  the  nature  of  God,  as 
to  that  of  man,  ought  to  be  deemed  false,  or  at  least 
foreign  to  man's  essential  religion. 

From  hence  it  is  plain,  that  the  religion,  essential 
to  man,  must  be  simple,  evident,  free  from  all  con- 
tradiction; that  it  must  exclude  everything  false  and 
imaginary;  that  it  cannot  require  any  man  to  strain 
his  belief  to  what  savors  of  an  impossibility,  much 
less  to  what  savors  of  a  contradiction. 

If  God  is  self-sufficient,  he  is  perfectly  disinterest- 
ed;  for  what  is  infinite  can  lose   nothing,  as  it   can 


104       NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION. 

gain  nothing.  Therefore  he  did  not  make  man  out  of 
nothing  to  increase  his  own  happiness;  consequently 
his  creating  him  capable  of  happiness  could  be  for 
no  other  end,  but  to  render  him  happy.  If  this  be 
his  end,  which  cannot  be  doubted,  this  end  subsists 
invariably.  God  is  therefore  concerned  for  the  hap- 
piness of  those  beings  whom  he  has  created. 

The  conclusion  from  hence  is  plain,  that,  since 
God  does  nothing  for  his  own  advantage,  he  has 
nothing  in  view  but  the  advantage  of  his  creatures; 
that  whatever  is  called  religion,  is  reduced  to  this. 
(If  it  be  objected  to  this,  that  the  scripture  says, 
God  made  all  things  for  his  own  glory:  I  answer, 
that  it  is  not  from  the  expressions  of  scripture  we 
form  the  idea  of  God,  but  on  the  contrary,  by  the 
idea  of  God  we  rectify  whatever  these  expressions 
seem  to  ascribe  to  him,  that  is  either  imperfect  or 
contradictory;)  therefore  every  other  idea  of  reli- 
gion is  so  far  from  honoring  God,  that  it  really  dis- 
honors him,  by  supposing  him  to  be  like  unto  men, 
who,  in  consequence  of  their  insufficiency,  cannot 
be  perfectly  disinterested. 

The  first  idea  a  man  has,  is,  that  he  exists: 
He  finds  he  could  not  be  the  author  of  his  own  ex- 
istence, so  that  the  source  of  existence  resides  else- 
where: Where  must  it  reside.^  It  must  be  in  some 
being  that  has  not  received  its  existence  from  any 
other  ;  man,  therefore,  is  obliged  to  own,  that  there 
is  a  first,  a  self-existent  being.  The  first  discovery, 
(which  you  see  is  only  an  unavoidable  consequence 
of  experience)  is  sufficient  to  lead  him  to  others,  I 
mean  to  more  particular   ideas  concerning  the  aitri- 


NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION.      105 

butes  of  that  first  being.  As  whatever  we  are 
capable  of  feeling,  tasting,  or  knowing,  must  neces- 
sarily proceed  from  that  first  cause;  this  idea  leads 
us  to  discover,  in  the  first  Being,  not  only  power, 
but  also  wisdom  and  goodness,  and  this  discovery 
also  arises  from  experience. 

Nothing  is  more  familiar  to  experience,  than  the 
sentiment  of  joy:  this  sentiment,  which  is  only 
momentary  in  man,  gives  him  some  idea  of  a  more 
real  felicity,  whereof  that  which  he  feels  is  only  a 
specimen  or  sample.  From  this  experience  he  con- 
cludes, that  the  Author  of  his  being,  having  made 
him  capable  of  so  delicious  a  sentiment,  must  be  the 
source  of  all  felicity. 

Another  thing,  which  he  feels,  leads  him  still  far- 
ther: I  mean  the  invincible  inclination  he  has  to 
happiness;  and,  as  this  desire  is  inseparable  to  his 
being,  it  must  likewise  be  ascribed  to  the  author  of 
his  being;  from  whence  he  justly  concludes,  that 
happiness  is  the  end  of  his  being.  This  conclusion 
leads  him  to  another:  he  finds  it  is  not  completely 
attained  in  this  world,  consequently  there  must  be 
one  hereafter,  which  will  accomplish  that  end.  All 
these  sentiments  naturally  arise  from  a  man's  con- 
sidering himself  only:  let  us  now  introduce  him  into 
society.  He  observes  that  the  earth  produces  all 
the  necessary  things  for  man's  subsistence,  but  this, 
being  not  equally  divided,  begets  the  language  of 
mine,  and  thine:  this  language  occasions  another, 
namely,  that  of  just  and  unjust,  true  and  false. 

When  we  hear   men   say   to   one  another,  this  is 

false,  that  ii;  unjust,  he  inquires  into  the  meaning  of 
10 


106  NATURAL   AND    REVEALED    RELIGION, 

these  terras.  He  finds  that  the  word  false  consists 
in  the  denying  what  we  know  to  be  true,  or  affirming 
what  we  know  not  to  be  so. 

That  what  is  called  unjust  consists  in  taking  from 
another  what  is  allowed  to  be  his,  or  in  not  keeping 
one's  promise. 

But,  notwithstanding  he  has  clear  ideas  of  what  is 
truth  or  falsehood,  justice   or  injustice,   yet,   upon 
examining  things  more,  he  sometimes  observes,  that 
falsehood  lends   such   assistance   to  injustice,   that 
judges  are  sometimes  at  a  loss  to  discern  who  is  in 
the  right,  and  who  in  the  wrong;  so  that    sometimes 
the  innocent  suffer,  and  the  guilty  escape:  he  then 
concludes,  that  if  a  Being,  equitable  in  the  highest 
degree,  suffers,  for  a  time,  that  justice  should  not  be 
rightly  administered,  it  is,  because   he   reserves   to 
himself  the   care   of  distributing  it  hereafter  in  the 
most   exact  proportion,    when  the   unjust   and   the 
murtherer  will  receive  the    retribution  due  to  their 
violence,   and  the  poor  and  innocent  persons,  who 
sunk  under  the  weight  of  injustice,    will   receive  a 
proportionable  recompense. 

Hence  we  may  see  that  real  religion  is  not  so 
much  above  the  reach  of  man  as  some  would  per- 
suade us;  for  it  does  not  consist  so  much  in  a 
knowledge  acquired  by  the  instruction  we  receive 
from  others,  as  in  that  we  receive  or  attain  from 
ourselves  by  sentiment  and  experience. 

But  some  perhaps  will  say,  that  such  a  religion  as 
this  founded  on  our  natural  faculties  is  not  sufficient 
for  salvation:  this  is  only  the  religion  of  nature, 
which  is  infinitely  inferior  to  revealed  religion,  which 


NATURAL    AND    REVEALED    RELIGION.  107 

is  not  founded  on  sentiment  and  experience,  but  on 
faith,  since  the  Christian  is  obliged  to  believe  what 
he  does  not  see. 

Don't  let  attachment  to  words  mislead  us.  J^at' 
ural  religion,  say  these  men,  is  greatly  inferior  to 
revealed.  This  is  a  lame  proposition.  Here  is  one 
equivalent  to  it:  Nature  in  children  is  greatly  infe- 
rior to  education. 

The  use  of  education  is  most  certainly  not  to 
destroy  nature,  but  to  bring  it  to  perfection.  Re- 
vealed religion  ought  to  be  with  respect  to  men, 
what  education  is  with  respect  to  children;  it  can 
only  build  upon  the  foundation  of  nature. 

This  being  supposed,  'tis  plain,  revealed  religion 
bears  a  relation  to  our  natural  faculties,  and  ought 
neither  to  destroy  them  or  be  substituted  in  their 
room.  This  idea  of  substitution,  which  we  adopt 
without  being  aware  of  it,  would  appear  ridiculous 
in  any  other  case,  as  may  be  proved  by  an  example 
taken  from  education: — A  school-boy  has  a  good 
natural  genius  for  arithmetic,  and  desires  to  learn 
the  rules  of  it.  A  master  gives  him  a  book  of  sums, 
all  done  to  his  hand:  the  scholar  then  has  no  more 
to  do  but  to  believe,  without  examining,  the  exact- 
ness of  every  one  of  the  rules,  being  pretty  sure 
the  master  is  not  mistaken.  I  say,  this  book  would 
in  that  case  be  substituted  in  the  room  of  the  natu- 
ral capacity  which  the  boy  has  for  cyphering.  He 
will  not  exert  it,  as  finding  the  work  ready  done  to 
his  hand:  but  what  is  the  boy  the  better  for  this? 
All  that  he  will  know  is  this,  that  he  must  believe, 
without  knowing  why,  that  such  and  such  figures  so 
put  together  make  such  a  sum. 


108      NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION. 

Thus  you  tell  me  I  must  believe  without  examin- 
ing, because  God  hath  said  it;  but  this  examination, 
which  you  exclude,  necessarily  supposes  another,  or 
perhaps  several,  before  I  can  be  convinced  of  this. 
For,  from  my  knowing  there  is  a  God,  it  does  not 
follow  that  't  is  he  that  speaks  in  such  a  book.  That 
book,  say  you,  carries  with  it  the  marks  of  truth,  for 
which  it  ought  to  be  received.  Very  well.  You  no 
longer  then  insist  that  I  should  believe  without  ex- 
amining, since  you  yourself  invite  me  to  judge  of 
this  book  by  the  marks  it  carries  with  it.  But  how 
shall  I  judge  of  them.''  By  what  rule  shall  I  be  ena- 
bled to  discern  what  you  call  the  marks  of  truth .^ 
In  order  to  do  this,  I  must  consult  the  principles  of 
truth,  and  from  them  form  my  notion  of  these 
marks. 

People  are  undoubtedly  guided  by  a  false  notion, 
when  they  consider  revealed  religion,  and  the  reli- 
gion of  nature,  as  opposite  to  one  another.  To  decide 
the  matter,  a  person  need  only  ask  himself,  whether 
the  means  can  be  opposite  to  the  end?  And  whether 
we  can  warrantably  extol  the  means  above  the  end, 
to  which  they  are  subservient? 

Well  now,  allowing  that  our  rational  man  has 
examined,  and  is  entirely  satisfied  by  the  marks, 
that  such  a  book  contains  the  revealed  will  of  God; 
for  he  cannot  think  it  strange  that  the  Deity  should 
interest  himself  for  men,  who  are  the  work  of  his 
own  hands,  and  that  for  the  same  reason  he  should 
employ  different  means  to  form  and  perfect  them, 
like  a  father  who  takes  pains  to  form  and  perfect  his 
children;  that,  God  having  placed  us  amongst  such 


NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION.       109 

a  number  of  different  objects,  he  should  condescend 
to  warn  and  instruct  us  as  to  the  use  we  are  to  make 
of  them;  and  that,  considering  the  shortness  of  life, 
he  should  also  Tt^arn  us  of  what  is  to  be  our  future 
portion,  according  to  the  use  we  shall  make  of  our 
time  here. 

By  examining  this  revelation,  he  finds  it  exactly 
agree  with  the  religion  of  his  understanding.  He 
finds  the  author  of  it,  Jesus  Christ  himself,  declar- 
ing that  both  the  laio  and  the  gospel  centre  in  the 
accomplishment  of  this  immutable  laio:  Do  to  others 
us  you  would  that  they  should  do  to  you.  And  this  he 
has  made  good  by  most  of  his  precepts. 

But  it  will  be  said,  if  the  whole  doctrine  of  Christ 
centered  there,  what  did  he  teach  men  that  they  did 
not  know  before  ?  I  answer,  that  Jesus  Chtist  has 
(properly  speaking)  required  nothing  of  men,  but 
what  they  themselves  could  perceive  to  be  just.  He 
appealed  on  all  occasions  to  their  discernment.  He 
never  grounds  his  precepts  upon  his  own  authority, 
but  upon  their  agreement  with  common  sense,  upon 
the  force  of  truth,  which  they  are  capable  of  feel- 
ing, when  they  do  not  wilfully  oppose  it.  If  I  do 
not  speak  truth,  said  he,  do  not  believe  me.  He  invites 
men  to  examine,  and  made  the  most  simple  amongst 
them  judges  of  his  actions. 

Now,  such  is  the  nature  of  the  understanding,  that 
it  can  believe  nothing  but  what  it  discovers  to  be 
true.  If  God  should  require  men  to  believe  what 
they  can't  discern  to  be  true,  he  would  in  that  case 
<iisown  the  intelligent  faculty  which  he  has  given 
them;  truth  would  no  longer  have  any  force  to  con-" 
9* 


no  NATURAL    AND    REVEALED    RELIGION. 

vince  and  persuade;  they  must  become  like  those 
idols  of  whom  'tis  said,  that  they  have  eyes,  but  see 
not,  &c.  If  men  could  believe  what  they  please,  to 
what  purpose  should  we  appeal  to  .common  sense, 
and  ask  those  questions  in  every  body's  mouth,  Is  it 
not  truel  Is  it  not  just  1  Accordingly  we  find  Jesus 
Christ  speaking  to  men,  always  supposing  them  to 
have  understanding  and  liberty.  He  appeals  to  the 
understanding  of  the  Jews  against  their  laws  and 
customs,  which  they  reckoned  to  be  most  sacred, 
such  as  observing  the  Sabbath,  &c.  For  common 
sense  would  have  told  them,  that  the  Sabbath  must 
have  been  made  for  man,  and  not  man  for  the  Sab- 
bath. If  so,  the  doing  or  receiving  good,  on  that 
day,  would  not  have  been  looked  upon,  as  they  pre- 
tended or  imagined,  a  breach  of  it.  He  does  not 
stop  at  the  letter  of  the  law,  we  see,  but  enters  into 
the  spirit  of  it:  he  appeals  to  themselves,  whether 
any  of  them  would  not,  or  ought  not  to  take  care  of 
his  ox  or  his  ass  on  that  day. 

But  then  'tis  urged,  that  if  the  nature  of  the  un- 
derstanding be  such,  that  it  can  believe  nothing  but 
what  it  discovers  to  be  true,  what  must  we  do  with 
the  mysteries  of  revealed  religion?  The  word 
mystery  denotes  something  hid,  the  knowledge  of 
which  God  has  reserved  to  himself:  let  us  therefore 
confine  ourselves  to  evident  and  undoubted  truth; 
and  if  so,  what  would  be  the  consequence  of  such  a 
conduct?  Would  it  hinder  us  from  knowing  and 
practising  the  duties  of  natural  and  revealed  reli- 
gion ? 


NATURAL    AND    REVEALED    RELIGION.  Ill 

No,  but  wc  should  be  ignorant  of  a  great  many 
things.  We  should  indeed  be  ignorant  of  that  art 
which  passes  under  the  name  of  controversy :  we 
should  have  no  idea  of  those  distinctions  of  words, 
and  of  those  subdivisions  ad  infinifum,  which  have 
enriched  dictionaries.  We  should  be  ignorant  of 
those  names  of  sects,  Arianism,  Ptlagianism,  Socin- 
ianism,  &c.  We  should  not  have  known  to  what  a 
pitch  animosity,  rancor,  bigotry,  and  ambition  can 
be  carried  under  the  name  of  zeal.  If  we  had  been 
ignorant  of  these  things,  would  not  the  world  have 
been  a  gainer  in  other  respects.'*  Wars  about  reli- 
gion, which  of  all  wars  are  the  bloodiest,  had  never 
been  known.  Christians  would  have  made  (without 
these  controversies)  the  study  of  religion  to  consist 
in  being  good  men.  The  gospel  would  only  lead 
them  to  that:  in  every  page  of  it,  they  will  find 
instructions  tendingto  make  them  sincere,  equitable, 
and  beneficent.  Every  man- then  who  should  be 
wanting  in  such  virtues,  or  have  their  opposite  vices, 
would  be  deemed  (as  indeed  they  are)  void  of  reli- 
gion. For  what  is  called  devotion  would  not  supply 
the  place  of  religion  where  the  fundamentals  of  it 
are  wanting.  Men  would  not  damn  one  another 
then:  that  privilege  would  be  unknown  to  them,  and 
they  would  be  as  little  acquainted  with  that  of  tyran- 
nising over  the  consciences  of  others. 

But,  if  you  set  aside  mysteries,  religion  would  be 
reduced  to  something  so  very  simple,  that  the  most 
illiterate  men  may  understand  it.  What  advantage 
would  the  learned  have  over  them?  And  would  it  be 
reasonable  that  they,   who  consume   themselves  in 


112      NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION. 

laborious  researches  about  mysteries,  should  have 
made  no  farther  progress  than  the  greatest  part 
amongst  the  illiterate  !  In  answer,  I  say  that  1  know 
the  gospel  was  preached  to  the  illiterate,  and  1  know 
that  the  religion  proper  for  all  mankind  ought  to  be 
within  the  reach  of  the  illiterate.  I^rom  whence  I 
may  justly  conclude,  that  Christ  did  not  require  of 
any  one  to  penetrate  into  things  which  are  obscure; 
nay,  I  go  farther  in  my  belief,  that  what  is  a  mystery 
to  the  illiterate,  will  be  equally  so  to  those  learned 
men  who  have  exhausted  themselves,  perhaps,  in  use- 
less researches.  Is  this  a  conjecture  only?  JNot  in 
the  least.  These  learned  men  have  multiplied  con- 
tradictions, in  proportion  as  they  attempted  to  explain 
those  mysteries.  Therefore  let  those  who  are  lovers 
of  truth  embrace  in  its  full  force  this  maxim  :  Things 
which  are  hid  are  to  God,  but  things  revealed  are  to  us, 
and  to  our  children,  to  do  them. 

Whenever  we  put  this  question  to  ourselves,  What 
is  the  end,  or  design  of  religion?  The  most  natureil 
answer  that  occurs  is,  that  religion  is  intended  to 
make  us  good  men,  that  is,  upright,  equitable, 
beneficent,  sincere,  or  true  in  our  discourse,  as  well 
as  in  our  conduct  :  this  answer  all  Christians  unani- 
mously approve  of.  If  this  be  the  end,  as  we  are  all 
agreed  in  it  is,  must  we,  before  we  are  capable  of 
attaining  it,  know  thorouohly  all  the  different  senses 
which  are  put  upon  the  different  passages  in  Scrip- 
ture? And  also  which  is  the  true  genuine  sense? 
But  perhaps  my  whole  life  would  not  be  sufficient 
for  such  a  study.  At  what  time,  then,  must  I  begin 
to  be  a  good  man?    From  Jaence  I  may  safely  con- 


NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION.      113 

elude,  that  the  essential  part  of  religion  is  upright- 
ness and  sincerity,  and  the  accessory  part  is  a 
knowledge  of  particular  things  offered  to  us  in  Scrip- 
ture. 

When  a  thing  contains  two  parts,  the  one  essen- 
tial, the  others  accessory,  in  order  to  know  which 
part  is  essential,  if  you  cut  off  one  part,  and,  by  so 
doing,  you  do  not  destroy  the  essence  of  the  tiling, 
then  it  is  plain,  the  part  cut  off  is  only  accessory. 

Now  I  ask:  If  you  remove  from  the  idea  of  re- 
ligion that  fund  of  uprightness  above  mentioned, 
and  place  in  its  room  all  the  acquired  knowledge, 
which  the  written  revelation  offers,  what  woirld  hap- 
pen? Would  a  man,  in  this  case,  have  any  religion? 
On  the  other  hand,  if  you  remove  from  religion  that 
acquired  knowledge,  and  substitute  in  its  room  a 
fund  of  uprightness,  as  before  described,  I  ask, 
whether  such  a  man  would  be  void  of  religion  ? 

It  may,  however,  and  ought  to  be  observed,  that 
what  is  only  accessory,  with  respect  to  one  man, 
may  be  essential  in  respect  to  another;  for,  if  sin- 
cerity requires  me  to  assent  to  every  truth  that  is 
either  sensible  or  evident,  all  the  truths,  which 
appear  to  me  as  such,  become  essential  with  respect 
to  me. 

Let  us  now  proceed  to  show  how  this  essential 
religion  is  to  be  practised.  The  comparison,  we 
are  apt  to  make  upon  all  occasions,  between  the 
Supreme  Being  and  those  men  we  call  sovereigns, 
is  apt  to  lead  us  into  numberless  mistakes.  Chris- 
tians, by  it,  are  accustomed  from  their  infancy  to 
consider  religion   as   something   by  which   God   is 


114      NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION. 

honored:  so,  early  do  they  fancy  to  themselves,  that, 
when  they  pray  to  him,  or  praise  him,  he  is  much 
obliged  to  them  for  it;  and  that,  by  giving  alms, 
and  doing  what  we  call  good  ivorhs,  they  honestly 
purchase  heaven. 

If  afterwards  they  do  not  think  so  grossly,  this 
opinion  subsists  in  the  main,  though,  perhaps,  so 
secretly,  that  they  themselves  are  not  aware  of  it. 
We  find  our  common  discourse  receive  some  tinc- 
ture from  this  opinion  :  we  talk  of  glorifying  God, 
and  paying  him  the  homage  that  is  due,  as  a  thing 
advantageous  to  him  :  we  insinuate,  that  he  must 
be  highly  offended  (not  to  say  affronted)  by  those 
who  refuse  to  pay  him  this  homage. 

The  usual  distinction  between  what  we  owe  to 
God,  and  what  we  owe  to  ourselves,  gives  many  peo- 
ple room  to  make  separate  articles  of  them.  They 
give  him  his  portion,  if  we  may  use  the  word ;  they 
set  apart  a  certain  time  for  worshipping  him  ;  in  short, 
they  render  unto  God  what  they  think  is  his  due  ;  so 
that  it  would  be  hard  to  convince  many  people  that 
this  part  of  religion,  which  seems  only  to  relate  to 
God,  does,  like  all  the  rest,  tend  solely  to  the  advan- 
tage of  man:  for,  if,  according  to  the  foundation- 
principle  here  laid  down,  God  is  a  self-sufficient 
being,  our  worshipping  him  can  benefit  none  but 
ourselves. 

Yet,  what  strange  metamorphoses  some  people 
imagine  are  produced  by  devotion!  During  these 
happy  minutes,  an  unjust  man  puts  on  sentiments  of 
equity,  a  severe  man  sentiments  of  humanity,  a 
proud   man   sentiments   of   humility.     Now,  let  us 


NATURAL    AND    REVEALED    RELIGION.  115 

examine,  whether  there  is  anything  in  all  this; 
whether  we  do  not  impose  upon  ourselves.  Sentu 
ments  put  on!  does  not  this  phrase  seem  to  imply  a 
contradiction?  Is  it  in  a  man's  power  to  assume 
what  sentiments  he  pleases?  No,  but  he  may  strong- 
ly imagine  them;  and  these  imagined,  not  to  say 
imaginary  sentiments,  is  called  putting  on,  because 
the  appearances  of  them  are  put  on,  and  afterwards 
we  are  apt  to  take  it  for  reality. 

What  proves  them  to  be  merely  borrowed  is,  that 
we  are  presently  stript  of  them.  This  is  experienced 
in  seasons  of  high  devotion,  which,  as  soon  as  over, 
the  very  next  day  we  find,  that  we  are  no  longer 
the  same  men  which  we  believed  ourselves  to  be 
the  day  before;  and  yet  it  is  in  these  efforts  of  devo* 
tion,  that  many  people  make  their  Christianity  to 
consist.  They  complain,  and  blame  themselves  for 
their  lukewarmness,  and  that  want  of  fervency, 
which  they  ought  to  have,  but  not  their  neglect  of 
practising  the  duties  flowing  from  beneficence;  la- 
ment, above  all,  the  badness  of  their  memories,  in 
not  retaining  the  good  things  which  they  read  and 
hear,  but  neglect  to  blame  themselves  for  not  per- 
forming the  duties  they  do  remember.  These  bor- 
rowed sentiments,  on  which  they  set  so  great  a 
value,  is  what  makes  them  neglect  the  study  of 
themselves.  They  torment  themselves  about  what 
is  not  in  their  power,  and  oftentimes  neglect  what 
deserves  their  greatest  attention. 

No  imaginary  effort  can  deserve  the  name  of 
virtue,  for  virtue  must  have  truth  for  its  foundation. 
I  ask,  can  a  man,  that  is  six  feet  high,  persuade 
himself  that  he  is  but  four  ? 


116  NATURAL    AND    REVEALED    RELIGION. 

It  is  plain,  our  passions  cannot  be  commanded  : 
we  cannot  love,  hate,  or  fear,  purely  by  being  bid 
to  do  it.  But  then,  say  you,  if  the  passions  are  not 
under  command, — if  love,  for  instance,  is  not  to  be 
commanded,  because  the  heart  is  framed  in  such  a 
manner,  as  not  to  love  anything  but  what  appears 
amiable  to  it,  what  shall  we  do  with  several  precepts 
of  the  gospel,  enjoining  us  to  love  our  neighbor  as 
ourselves,  &c.  ?  Must  we  suppose,  that  the  gospel 
commands  us  to  do  a  thing  impossible?  Or  must  we 
blindly  suppose,  that  it  is  possible  for  us  to  love, 
upon  command?  Surely,  neither  one,  nor  the  other. 
The  first  supposition  would  be  injurious  to  the 
Author  of  the  gospel,  the  second  opposite  to  the 
laws  of  nature.  What  medium  must  be  then  taken  ? 
It  is  plain,  nature  and  the  gospel  have  but  one  and 
the  same  original:  when,  therefore,  I  read.  Thou 
shall  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.  By  this  shall  all 
men  know  that  ye  are  my  disciples,  if  ye  love  one  an- 
other: let  us  examine  into  the  other  parts  of  the 
gospel,  and  the  difficulty  will  soon  cease;  we  there 
shall  find  other  commands  of  the  same  import,  where 
the  difficulty  above  mentioned  will  quickly  vanish. 
Here  is  a  proposition  will  doit:  All  things,  which  ye 
would  that  men  should  do  to  you,  do  ye  also  to  them  in 
like  manner;  for  this  is  the  law  and  the  prophets. 
Are  we  not,  by  this,  commanded  to  be  equitable,  or  to 
endeavor  to  be  so  ?  Without  dispute,  we  are.  Here 
then,  the  voice  of  the  gospel  and  that  of  nature  are 
but  one  and  the  same  voice ;  consequently,  we  cannot 
refuse  our  assent  to  it:  there  is  no  room  here  for  the 
pretence  of  impossibility.     So  that  you  see,  in  this 


NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION.     117 

sense,  it  is  not  impossible  to  obey  our  Saviour's  pre- 
cept of  loving  our  enemies;  and  he  himself  shows 
you  how  to  do  it,  by  doing  good  to  them  that  hate 
you.  Now,  it  is  plain,  we  can  easily  conceive  a  dif- 
ference between  loving  one,  and  doing  good  to  him;  if 
the  former  is  not  in  our  power,  the  latter  surely  is; 
for  to  love  any  one,  we  must  think  him  possessed  of 
some  amiable  qualities;  whereas,  to  do  good  to  him, 
it  is  sufficient  if  we  see  him  in  want  of  it. 

To  conclude  as  I  began:  I  say  that  in  true  reli- 
gion, all  that  are  called  the  duties  of  men,  whether  re- 
lating to  God,  to  our  neighbors,  or  ourselves,  when 
strictly  considered,  melt  as  it  were  into  one  another, 
and  all  tend  to  procure  him  good,  and  that  happiness 
for  which  he  was  made.  For,  seeing  God  is  a  self- 
sufficient  being,  he  does  nothing  for  his  own  advan- 
tage; he  can  have  no  other  view  than  the  advantage 
of  his  creatures;  therefore  whatever  is  called  reli- 
gion is  reduced  to  this;  any  other  idea  of  religion  is 
so  far  from  honoring  God,  that  it  really  dishonors 
him;  for  otherwise,  you  suppose  him  to  be  like  unto 
men,  who,  in  consequence  of  their  known  insuffi- 
ciency, cannot  be  perfectly  disinterested. 

From  hence  it  is  evident,  even  to  a  demonstration, 
that  the  principle  of  a  self-sufficient  being  is  so  far 
from  ruining  religion,  that  it  is  the  real  basis  of  it; 
it  is  so  far  from  destroying  morality,  that  it  compre- 
hends the  strongest  motives  to  it:  for  the  self-suffi- 
cient being,  having  no  need  of  his  creatures,  has,  in 
what  we  call  religion,  no  other  interest  in  view  but 
theirs;  no  other  aim,  but  tl^at  of  making  them  hap- 
11 


118       NATURAL  AND  REVEALD  RELIGION. 

py;  which  was  the  sole  design  of  his  creating  them, 
all  his  laws  having  the  same  tendency. 


NOTE  TO  PAGE  106. 

*  IVill  receive  a  proportionable  Recompense. ' 

The  writer  here  seems  to  express  the  opinion  which  has  been 
entertained  by  some,  that  rewards  and  punishments  are  not, 
in  this  life,  proportioned  to  men's  actions.  We  beg  leave, 
therefore,  to  present  the  following  extract  from  Dr.  Benson's 
Life  of  Christ.  He  was  an  author  of  high  repute,  and  a  full 
believer  in  tlie  doctrine  of  a  future  retribution ;  but  he  held 
that  rewards  and  punishments  are  distributed  among  men  in 
this  life,  according  to  the  characters  they  possess.     Editor. 

'The  doctrine  of  our  text  doth  most  properly  and  immediately 
point  out  the  misery  of  wicked  men,  or  the  connexion  between 
vice  and  misery.  And  that  connexion  is  indeed  very  remarka- 
ble, and  affords  mankind  a  most  excellent  lesson.  There  have 
been  crimes  which  have  given  men  more  exquisite  misery, 
than  being  stretched  upon  the  rack,  or  undergoing  the  great- 
est bodily  torments.     And  again.     But  all  vice,  in  proportion 

o  the  degree  and  aggravation  of  it,  is  sooner  or  later  so  much 
misery.  Envy  is  the  rottenness  of  the  bones.  Revenge  may 
gratify  a  man  whilst  his  passion  rages.  But  as  soon  as  he  has 
satiated  his  malice,  the  demon  of  revenge  comes  thundering 
back  upon  himself,  and  pours  out  her  torment  upon  the  furi- 
ous and  implacable,  giving  him  more  exquisite  misery  than  all 
that  he  could  inflict  upon  his  adversary.  The  covetous  and 
ambitious  are  never  satisfied.  For  irregular  desires  grow 
much  faster  than  to  be  appeased  with  the  greatest  success. 
The  tumultuous  pleasures  of  the  voluptuous  and  the  debauched 
end  with  a  short-lived  transport,  but  leave  the  mind  in  a 
disordered  state ;  create  fears  and  dangers  by  breaking  in  upon 
the  honor  and  peace  of  families,  as  well  as  upon  a  man's  own 
honor  and  integrity,  which  ought  to  be  dearer  to  him  than  all 
the    world.     Indulging   to   sense    and    appetite    impairs    the 


NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION.       119 

health  of  the  body,  destroys  the  vigor  of  the  mind,  breaks  in 
upon  its  peace  and  harmony,  puts  the  faculties  in  disorder, 
creates  tumult  and  confusion,  anarchy  and  uproar,  distresB 
and  misgivings  of  heart ;  brings  on  various  diseases,  and 
sometimes  sudden  and  premature  death.  Is  it  virtue  or  vice 
that  commonly  ruins  men's  estates,  disturbs  the  comfort  of 
families,  render?  men  useless  and  contemptible  in  themselves, 
and  the  scorn  and  detestation  of  the  sober  and  thinking  part 
of  mankind,  whose  esteem  and  approbation  every  wise  man 
will  above  all  thJDgs  court  ?  Who  are  the  grand  disturbers  of 
neighborhoods  towns  or  kingdoms  ?  the  plagues  and  terrors  of 
human  society  ?  the  virtuous  or  the  vicious  ?  And  it  ought 
to  be  added  that  wicked  men,  in  common,  calamities,  are  as  lia- 
ble to  suffer  as  the  good.  In  war,  famine,  pestilence,  sickness 
and  death,  and  the  like,  and  that  they  want  those  supports 
and  refreshments,  under  their  calamities,  which  religion  affords 
the  virtuous  and  good  man.  But,  if  they  were  to  escape  more 
frequently  than  they  do,  it  has  been  known  that  worldly  suc- 
cess has  been  some  men's  utter  ruin,  even  as  to  the  posses- 
sions and  enjoyments  of  this  present  transitory  life.' 

'  But,  continues  the  Dr.  on  the  other  hand,  '  Between  virtue 
and  happiness,  there  is,  in  tlie  wise  constitution  of  God,  the 
most  close  and  strict  connexion.  The  pleasures  of  a  man  are 
of  two  sorts,  sensible  and  rational.  The  sensible  pleasures  of 
this  life  may  be  enjoyed  by  a  good  man,  provided  he  indulgeei 
them  no  further  than  reason  allows.  The  checks  of  conscience 
which  restrain  him,  and  direct  him  to  keep  within  proper 
bounds,  are  so  far  from  being  his  misery,  that  they  are  his  honor 
and  singular  felicity.  They  either  keep  him  in  the  paths  of 
righteousness,  or  lead  him  back  to  virtue's  ways,  when  he  has 
wandered  from  her  amiable  paths.  But  besides  sensible  enjoy- 
ments, the  good  man  has  the  pleasure  of  acquiring  useful 
knowledge  ;  and  the  high  delight  which  flows  from  virtuous 
practice  :  of  which  last  the  wicked  man  is  wholly  incapable, 
as  long  as  he  continues  wicked.  The  good  man  therefore,  is 
so  far  from  being  of  all  men  th-e  most  miserable,  that  he  is  of  all 
men  the  most  happy.  His  piety  doth  not  lead  him  to  any 
monkish  austerities,  or  ridiculous  mortification  and  abstinence, 


120      NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION. 

but  conduces  to  the  health  of  his  body,  the  peace,  order,  and 
harmony  of  his  mind,  the  good  of  his  estate,  and  the  welfare  of 
his  family  and  friends.  He  has  deservedly  more  reputa- 
tion than  his  wicked  neighbor ;  is  more  valued  by  thinking 
and  good  men ;  is  in  reality  a  better  member  of  civil  society, 
as  well  as  an  ornament  to  the  church  of  God.  Whether  his 
life  be  longer  or  shorter,  it  is  formed  upon  the  rules  of  wisdom, 
that  is,  of  virtue  and  true  religion.  He  can  look  all  round 
him,  and  take  satisfaction  that  all  is  well  on  every  side.  If  he 
considers  his  relation  to  God,  or  man  )  if  he  looks  backward 
or  forward,  considers  his  present  existence,  or  that  which  is 
to  come,  all,  all  yield  him  satisfaction  and  delight.  He  con- 
siders himself  as  raised  from  nothing  to  the  rank  and  dignity 
of  a  rational  creature ;  that  he  is  acting  according  to  his  rank 
by  imitating  the  most  perfect  being ;  that  he  stands  well  with 
him  ;  and  that  as  he  is  like  him  now,  he  hopes  to  be  happy 
with  him  forever.  Blessed  is  the  person  that  is  in  such  a 
case  ;  yea  thrice  happy  that  man,  whose  God  is  the  Lord. 

'One  would  think  that  as  piety,  and  virtue  conduce  to  men's 
present  happiness,  this  argument  might  have  some  weight 
with  the  voluptuous,  ambitious  and  worldly  minded  man,  and 
put  them  upon  trying  virtue's  ways,  which  are  all  loays  of 
pleasantness^  and  all  tcho.  e  paths  are  paths  of  peace.  There  is 
not,  indeed,  perfect  felicity  in  this  world  ;  but  the  good  man 
comes  the  nearest  to  it  of  any  man  upon  the  face  of  the  earth. 
And  virtue  and  true  religion  tend  to  a  man's  most  solid  and 
durable  felicity.' 


NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION.      121 


ESSAY  II. 

State  of  Suuls  after  Death. 

Agreeable  to  the  foregoing  abstract  or  plan  of  the 
Christian  Religion,  let  us  now  consider  the  state  o 
souls  after  death,  as  discovered  to  us  by  revelation. 
Mankind  are  agreed  that  the  ideas  of  goodnesi 
and  justice  are  inseparably  connected  with  the  idea 
of  God;  but  our  custom  of  settling  these  attributes 
n  opposition  to  each  other,  is  a  proof  that  we  are 
strangers  to  their  nature. 

We  usually  say,  that  justice  gives  way  to  goodness, 
or  goodness  gives  place  to  justice;  and  hence  im- 
agine, that  they  are  so  far  from  being  one  and  the 
same,  that  there  is  even  a  considerable  distance 
between  them.  If  we  survey  them  in  another  light, 
and  trace  them  up  to  their  origin,  we  shall  find  that 
goodness  is,  as  it  were,  the  centre  of  justice,  the 
latter  losing  itself  in  the  former. 

Let  us  then  represent  to  ourselves  the  infinite 
being  in  the  eternity,  prior  to  the  existence  of  time, 
before  any  creatures  came  out  of  his  hands.  Let  us 
represent  to  ourselves  this  being  self-sufficient  de- 
signing to  form  intelligent  beings;  let  us  suppose 
ourselves  acquainted  with  this  purpose,  before  it  was 
11* 


122     NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION. 

put  in  execution:  what  can  we  presume  concerning 
the  state  of  these  new  beings,  that  are  to  come  from 
the  hands  of  a  perfectly  happy  being,  but  they  will 
be  rendered  as  happy  as  their  finite  capacities  will 
admit  of  ? 

For  the  perfectly  happy  being,  wanting  nothing 
for  himself,  cannot  create  beings  with  a  view  of 
making  addition  to  his  own  felicity;  it  must  be  then 
to  make  them  happy  as  he  himself  is,  in  proportion 
to  finite  and  infinite.  Hence  it  follows  that  the  idea 
of  infinite  goodness  is  inseparable  from  that  of  an 
infinitely  happy  being;  the  pure  and  perfect  good 
cannot  do,  or  confer,  anything  but  what  is  good,  and, 
did  it  communicate  anything  else,  it  would  be  incon- 
sistent with  itself. 

This  idea  of  goodness  in  the  Deity  is  a  positive 
one,  which  j?/.s/ice  is  not;  equity  therefore  constitut- 
ing without  dispute  the  essence  of  justice,  I  would 
ask  whether  infinite  goodness  and  perfect  equity^  do 
not  harmoniously  agree?  and  whether  they  can  be 
set  in  opposition? 

Hence  it  follows  that  the  effects  of  sovereign 
goodness  are  never  suspended,  but  that  we  even 
share  of  them  when  under  punishment;  some  resem- 
blance we  see  of  it  in  the  chastisements  that  paren- 
tal afljection  inflicts.  Thus  the  Deity,  by  the  small 
portion  of  benevolence  we  feel  in  ourselves,  invites 
us  to  judge  how  far  his  own  immense  goodness  may 
reach. 

Now  let  us  suppose  that  a  man  who  has  this  idea 
of  infinite  goodness,  but    has  never  heard  talk  of  a 


NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION.      1*2S 

ttiiserable  eternity;  how  do  we  imagine  such  a  man 
would  relish  the  first  proposal  of  it?  what  horror 
would  not  such  an  image  give  him?  He  would  con- 
clude that  those  who  admit  of  such  a  state,  have  a 
God  different  from  his;  that  they  were  never  acquain- 
ted with  the  immense  goodness  of  the  supremely  hap- 
py being.  He  would  even  conjecture,  that  those,  who 
espouse  this  opinion,  fe-el  not  within  themselves 
those  characters  of  beneficence  which  are  insepara- 
ble from  human  nature. 

In  reality,  this  strange  opinion  degrades  the  Di- 
vine Goodness,  and  places  it  below  human  goodness. 
For  it  supposes  that  God  could  not  foresee  what 
would  befall  the  work  of  his  own  hands;  that  he 
ventured  to  give  being  to  an  infinite  number  of  crea- 
tures, without  any  certainty  of  being  able  to  make 
them  happy. 

It  will  be  granted,  that  this  plan  is  worthy  of  God, 
and  its  end  above  all  fully  satisfactory;  but  still  it 
may  be  objected,  that,  in  order  to  arrive  at  this  hap- 
py end,  there  is  a  terrible  interval;  the  unavoida- 
ble miseries  of  the  present  life  are  light,  and  will 
soon  have  an  end;  but  the  additional  prospect  of 
future  sufferings,  the  end  of  which  we  know  not, 
is  terrible;  would  it  not  be  more  worthy  of  immense 
goodness  to  exempt  men  from  all  manner  of  punish- 
ment after  this  life,  since  they  were  formed  and  in- 
fallibly destined  for  bliss?  Why  does  not  that  now 
happen,  which  one  day  will  certainly  be  brought 
about  ? 

This  question  amounts  to  the  same  as  that  con- 
cerning the  fall  of  the  first  man:  Why  did  not  God 


124     NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION. 

prevent  his  making  that  use  of  his  liberty  ?  Or  rather, 
why  did  he  create  him  a  free  agent?  for  a  confined 
liberty  is  no  liberty.  Such  difficulties  as  these  take 
their  rise  from  our  ignorance,  and  our  short-sighted 
views  of  things.  A  being  without  liberty  would  no 
longer  be  a  man,  and  then  we  might  ask,  Why  God 
thought  fit  to  make  men.'*  Now  let  us  return  to  some- 
thing certain. 

It  is  certain,  that  infinite  goodness  cannot  make' a 
present  of  anything  to  man,  but  what  is  for  his  good. 
Since  therefore  man  is  endowed  with  liberty,  and 
that  this  might  prove  prejudicial  to  him,  it  necessa- 
rily follows,  that  it  is  in  itself  so  essential  to  man's 
nature,  that  Divine  Wisdom  could  not  divest  him  of 
it,  without  divesting  him  of  the  quality  of  man. 

We  likewise  clearly  see,  that  the  good,  accruing 
to  him  from  it,  must  infinitely  surpass  the  damage 
he  may  possibly  sustain  from  it;  without  which  we 
may  presume  that  Divine  Wisdom  and  Goodness 
would  never  have  made  him  a  present  of  so  perni- 
cious a  nature. 

Let  us  now  examine  whether  the  scripture  contra- 
dicts this  notion.  Indeed,  there  are  repeated  ex- 
pressions of  eternal  fire,  and  the  worm  that  dieth  not, 
^c.  But  are  not  the  terms,  eternal,  eternity,  and 
never,  very  equivocal,  both  in  Ch'eeh  and  Hebrew, 
most  commonly  signifying  a  long  period  of  time, 
and  sometimes  an  indefinite  time?  It  is  said  the 
slave  shall  continue  in  his  master's  house  forever; 
emid  Jeremy  speaks  of  the  temple  and  sacrifices,  as 
of  things  that  never  were  to  be  abolished.  God 
swore  to  David,  that  a  successor  upon  his  throne 
should  never  fail. 


NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION.       125 

Now  let  US  agree  upon  an  incontestable  principle 
for  understanding  the  scriptures.  It  contains  truths 
which  we  may  call  eternal  and  unchangeable,  which 
are  the  foundation  of  all  the  rest,  independent  of  ex- 
pressions, figures,  parables,  Stc:  of  this  sort  are  the 
spirituality,  eternity,  omnipotence  of  God,  and  what- 
ever else  we  can  know  of  his  perfections.  Next  to 
these,  which  serve  as  a  foundation  to  all  the  rest, 
we  find  in  scripture  God's  design  of  saving  men 
through  his  Son.  These  truths,  which  are  the  basis 
of  all  religion,  and  as  there  are  in  scripture  a  prodi- 
gious number  of  figurative,  allegorical,  equivocal, 
and  even  contradictory  expressions,  must  we  not 
then  judge  of  their  true  sense,  not  by  what  the  words 
seem  to  import,  but  by  those  unshaken  truths  that 
never  can  vary? 

Thus  we  see  the  sjnrituality  of  God  takes  away 
the  literal  sense  of  his  eyes,  hands,  nostrils,  S^c;  in. 
like  manner  his  sanctity  will  not  allow  us  to  ascribe 
to  him  the  passions  of  wrath,  jealousy ,  fury ,  andpar- 
tiality.  Thus  this  unerring  rule  is  applicable  to 
a  thousand  places  in  scripture,  and  would  clear  up 
abundance  of  difficulties,  if  rightly  applied. 

Let  us  try  it  upon  the  present  subject:  what  sup- 
ports the  eternity  of  hell  torments?  Why  only  three 
or  four  expressions  of  eternity,  the  worm  that  never  di- 
eih,  &c.  which  may  betaken  in  different  senses.  But 
what  supports  the  contrary  opinion?  Why,  those 
very  unchangeable  truths  which  are  the  basis  of  all 
religion. 

God  is  wise,  just  ^nd  good.  Justice  is  not  oppo- 
site to  goodness,  nor  goodness  to  justice.     I  go  a  step. 


126      NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION. 

further,  and  say  they  are  so  inseparable,  that  we 
cannot  suppose  a  man  to  be  just  unless  he  is  good, 
or  good  unless  he  is  just.  In  God,  goodness  and 
justice  are  boundless.  If  God's  justice  is  not  attend- 
ed either  with  hatred,  fury  or  revenge,  but  is  insep- 
arable from  infinite  goodness,  can  we  conceive  it 
will  condemn  millions  of  creatures  formed  after  God's 
own  image,  to  dreadful  and  never-ending  misery, 
and  even  doom  them  to  the  hatred  of  God,  to  rage, 
to  despair  and  blasphemy  to  all  eternity?  May  we 
not  rather  on  the  contrary  say,  that  the  chief  bu- 
siness of  this  sovereign  justice,  is  to  make  just  what- 
ever is  unjust,  and  render  the  crooked  straight  ?  What 
is  more  unjust  and  contrary  to  the  views  of  the  Cre- 
ator, than  that  myriads  of  his  creatures  should  for- 
ever hate  him?  Once  more  I  ask,  can  sovereign 
justice  will  injustice,  or  permit  it  to  subsist  to  all 
eternity? 

Let  us  now  proceed  to  consider  the  design  of  Je- 
sus Christ's  coming  into  the  world:  the  New  Testa- 
ment tells  us  in  almost  every  page,  that  it  was  to 
save  all  men.  And  is  it  not  surprising  mat  the  ex- 
pression, all  men,  so  often  repeated,  should  make 
no  impression  on  the  minds  of  men,  while  those  of 
eternitij  and  forever  have  been  received  without  re- 
striction. The  pariicularist  tells  us,  by  all  men  is 
meant  the  elect  only.  The  universalists  say  't  is  an 
offer  of  grace  to  all  men.  But  those  universalists 
that  are  against  the  eternity  of  hell  torments,  think 
that  God's  declaring  his  desire,  that  all  men  should 
he  saved,  will  accomplish  it. in  its  utmost  extent.  It 
expresses,  say  they,  a  positive  will,  which  sooner  or 


NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION.      127 

later  will  have  its  effect,  and  not  a  bare  wish  that  all 
men  may  be  saved.. 

No  sooner  did  Adam  fall,  but  the  promise  of  sal- 
vation was  made  to  him  and  his  posterity.  St.  Paul 
is  very  express  on  this  subject:  As  in  Adam  all 
die,  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive.  This  proof 
I  think  is  exceeding  strong,  by  the  comparison  made 
between  Adam  and  Christ.  Therefore  as  it  is  past  dis- 
pute, that  in  Adam  all  die,  so  it  is  unexceptionably 
true,  that  in  Christ  all  shall  be  made  alive.  But 
what  the  apostle  subjoins  is  a  proof,  that  this  will 
happen  at  very  different  periods:  But  every  man,  says 
he,  in  his  own  order;  Christ  the  jirsl-fruits ,  aftericards 
they  which  are  Christ's  at  his  coming.  'T  is  plain  by 
this  coming,  he  means  the  last  judgment,  and  by 
those  that  are  Christ's,  the  souls  of  the  just.  Nev- 
ertheless, he  afterwards  speaks  of  another  future  pe- 
riod, which  he  calls  the  end.  And  then  the  end  shall 
come,  when  he  shall  have  delivered  up  tJie  kingdom  to 
Qod,  even  to  the  Father.  But  what  is  this  end?  That 
all  things  should  be  subjected  to  him.  But  is  it  a 
forced  or  a  voluntary  subjection?  If  the  former,  he 
would  never  speak  of  it  as  a  thing  to  come,  because 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world,  all  things  are  sub- 
ject to  him.  If  the  latter,  there  is  no  more  hell, 
What  follows  seems  to  prove  this  clearly:  The  last 
enemy  that  shall  be  destroyed,  is  death.  Is  the  separa- 
tion of  the  soul  from  the  body  the  death  here  meant?, 
No,  for  after  the  coming  of  Christ,  there  is  no  room 
for  that  death. 

Another  proof,  that  the  death  here  mentioned  is 
not  temporal  death,  is,  that  St.  Paul  ranks  it  with 
the  enemies  of  God,  over  whom  Jesus  Christ  should 


128  NATURAL    AND    REVEALED    RELIGION. 

reign  till  they  were  all  destroyed;  temporal  death^ 
no  enemy,  but  an  agent  in  God's  hands  to  execute 
his  orders;  but  't  is  spiritual  death  which  is  called 
enmity  against  God,  a  rebellion  of  the  creature' 
against  the  Creator;  'tis'this  death  to  which  the 
title  of  enemy  perfectly  agrees. 

Now,  when  Christ  hath  delivered  up  his  kingdo^p 
to  his  Father,  then  God  is  said  to  be  all  and  in  all. 
Now  these  words  could  have  no  sense  if  hell  tor- 
ments were  eternal.  God  can  never  be  all 'and  in  all,'* 
but  by  restoring  the  order  of  things.  Indeed,  these^ 
words  are.  an  irrefragible  argument  for  the  abolition 
of  sin  and  hell,  and  the  restoration  of  all  the  crea- 
tures; which  is  farther  confirmed  by  St.  PquVs 
exclamation,  O  (ie«//i,  where  is  thy  sting?  0  grave y 
where  is  thy  victory  1  Now  if  death  and  the  grave' 
have  no  other  sting  but  sin,  and  this  sting  must  be 
destroyed,  does  it  not  follow  that  hell  must  be  de- 
stroyed also?  Since  't  is  certain  .that,  if  sin  were 
killed  in -men,  there  would  be  no  hell. 

This  chapter  alone  affords  sufficient  arguments  for 
the  support  of  this  doctrine;  but  we  will  not  entirely 
stop  here.  In  the  second  of  Hebrews,  'tis  said  that 
Jesus  Christ  tasted  death  for  till  men.  And  elsewhere, 
that  he  is  made  the  projntiation  for  the  sins  of  the 
whole  ivorld,  and  that  every  hnee  shall  bow  at  the  name 
of  Jesus,  of  things  in  heaven,  &*c.  I  shall  only  dwell 
a  little  on  the  last  verses  of  the  fifth  of  the  Romans, 
that  are  very  clear  in  this  case,  where  the  Apostle 
compares  Jesus  Christ  to  Adam,  and  also  the  fruits 
we  reap  from  each:  As  by  one  man  sin  entered  into 
the  ivorld,  and  death  by  sin,  so  that  death  is  passed  upon 
all  men:  in  like   manner,  by  the  righteousness  of  one, 


NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION.       129 

*-4he  gift  is  come  upon  all  men  to  justification  of  life. 
For,  adds  he,  As  hy  the  disobedience  of  one,  many,  &c. 
This  word,  man?/,  here  undoubtedly  comprehends  all 
mankind.  All  were  made  sinners  by  Adam,  there- 
fore all  ought  to  be  made  righteous  by  Christ.  And 
here  we  may  very  justly  apply  that  excellent  but 
•abused'  text.  Where  sin  did  abound,  grace  did  much 
more  abound.  That  is,  the  grace  of  Christ  JesJis  is 
so  abundant  that  it  shall  at  last  destroy  the  sins  of 
all  mankind,  so  that,  as  sin  has  reigned  unto  death, 

k  in  like  manner  grace  should  reign  by  righteousness 
unto   eternal  life.     As  if  he  had   said,  the    reign  of 

*  sin  and  death  must  come  to  an  end,  to  make    room 
for  that  of  grace  through  all  eternity. 

Let  us  now,  after  having  considered  the  end  of 
Christ's  coming,  in  support  of  this  subject,  examine 
the  nature  of  justice.  At  the  end  of  the  second 
commandment,  we  find  a  positive  declaration  of  the 
eternal  laws  of  justice  and  mercy.  In  the  first  part 
God  shows  himself  as  a  powerful  and  jealous  God, 
punishing  iniquity  to  the  fourth  generation;  but  in 
the  last  he  is  represented  as  exercising  mercy  to  thou- 
sands  of  generations.  Doth  not  this  show  plainly, 
that  justice  in  his  punishments  is  restrained  within 
certain  bounds,  whereas  mercy  knows  no  limits.^  To 
this  it  may  be  objected,  if  bounds  be  set  to  the  di- 
vine justice,  what  becomes  of  its  infinity.^  I  answer, 
that  divine  justice,  considered  in  itself,  is  without 
bounds;  but  its  infinity  does  not  consist  in  punishing 
without  bounds,  but  in  being  infinitely  equitable,  en- 
tering into  an  infinite  detail  of  what  can  render  every 
creature  more  or  less  culpable,  and  more  or  less  par- 
donable in  weighing  with  a  perfect  equal  balance,  not 
12 


130        NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION. 

only  actions,  but  particular  intentions,  motives, 
knowledge,  circumstances,  temptations;  in  a  word, 
in  entering  into  the  infinite  proportions  of  rewards 
and  punishments,  so  that  it  incline  not  to  one  side 
more  than  another.  Now  was  it  to  punish  infinitely 
there  must  needs  be  a  heavier  weight  in  the  scale  of 
rigor,  than  in  that  of  clemency,  which  cannot  suit 
with  the  idea  of  justice. 

The  first  verse  of  the  1 1 8th  Psalm  is,  as  it  were, 
an  abridgement  of  the  whole,  saying,  O,  give  thanks 
unto  the  Lord,  for  he  is  good,  because  his  mercy  endur- 
eth  forever.  What  does  this  declaration  tell  us? 
That  immense  goodness  is  not  confined  to  the  short 
space  of  this  life;  since  it  endureth  forever,  it  must 
certainly  be  employed  in  the  life  to  come,  for  the 
benefit  of  such  subjects  as  shall  be  capable  of  re- 
ceiving its  influence.  But  who  .are  those  subjecls? 
The  same  Psalm  is  very  express  on  that  article.  They 
are  such  as  having  been  rebels  against  God,  have 
been  humbled,  mortified  and  crushed  by  his  justice, 
who  have  felt  inexpressible  anguish  on  account  of 
their  transgressions.  But  then  here  follows  one  of 
the  strongest  expressions  against  the  eternity  of  their 
torments:  He  will  not  always  chide,  nor  keep  his  an- 
ger forever. 

But,  granting  my  arguments  for  a  restoration  be 
true,  I  have  made  this  objection  to  myself :  To  what 
purpose  is  it  to  set  in  too  clear  a  light  truths  that 
may  possibly  encourage  licentiousness  and  remiss- 
ness? Would  it  not  be  better  to  have  mankind  in  an 
error,  that  may  be  a  means  to  awaken  their  attention 
and  lead  them  to  virtue.''    I  own  that  the  knowledge 


NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION.       131 

of  this  truth  is  not  absolutely  necessary.*  We  may 
rest  satisfied  with  the  speaking  of  hell  in  the  terms 
of  scripture,  and  leave  every  one  to  explain  them  in 
the  sense  he  likes  best.  However  we  don't  find, 
that  the  opinion  about  the  eternity  of  hell  torments 
produces  any  very  remarkable  effect,  or  proves  a 
suificient  curb  to  prevent  mankind's  going  on  in 
wicked  courses.  The  fear  of  a  violent  distemper, 
of  twenty  or  thirty  years  continuance,  would  make  a 
deeper  impression  on  them.  What  can  be  the  reason 
of  this  amazing  indifference  about  an  evil  of  so  des- 
perate a  nature,  which  they  profess  to  believe,  and 
yet  do  nothing  towards  avoiding  it?  It  is  true  they 
imagine  they  believe  it,  but  see  how  they  make 
themselves  easy!  Every  one  is  persuaded  that  he 
himself  is  not  of  the  number  of  the  wicked,  whose 
portion  shall  be  in  the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone; 
tliey  cannot  conceive,  if  they  be  not  notoriously 
Tvicked,  that  God  will  condemn  them  to  frightful  and 
endless  torments.  .  They  are  sensible,  indeed,  that 
they  are  guilty  of  several  faults;  but,  where  is  the 
man,  say  they,  without  sin.^  Besides,  for  these 
they  ask  forgiveness  daily;  and  what  are  the  merits 
t\f  Christ  good  for,  if  they  do  not  deliver  men  from 

*  We  differ  entirely  from  the  writer  here.  Nothing  is  more 
necessary  to  men  than  a  knowledge  of  God's  goodness  and 
love,  and  his  purpose  to  save  mankind.  This  writer  was  not 
alone,  however,  in  supposing  it  was  not  necessary  to  preach 
the  doctrine  of  Universalisra,  for  Dr.Thos.  Burnet,  who  wrote 
a  book  in  defence  of  the  sentiment,  entertained  the  same 
opinion.  Mod.  Hist.  Universalism,  p.  100.  It  is  said,  Dr. 
Watts  found  much  fault  with  Burnet  in  this  particular. 


132  NATURAL    AND    REVEALED    RELIGION. 

everlasting  misery?  Nay,  even  sinners  of  the  first 
magnitude  hope  to  escape  hell,  either  by  repenting, 
as  they  propose  to  do  sooner  or  later,  or  through  the 
infinite  mercy  of  God ;  for  it  is  as  easy,  say  they,  . 
for  God  to  pardon  the  greatest  as  the  least  sinners; 
bv  a  single  act  of  his  will  he  can  make  a  creature 
happy  forever,  or  let  him  perish  eternally;  surely 
then  he  will  not  choose  the  last,  because  that  would 
suppose  cruelty  in  an  infinitely  merciful  being. — 
Thus  it  is  plain,  that,  the  more  terrible  hell  becomes, 
by  supposing  it  eternal,  every  one  more  easily  per- 
suades himself  that  Divine  Mercy  will  exempt  him 
from  it. 

Hence  it  is  evident,  that  the  greater  number  of 
Christians,  who  profess  the  belief  of  the  eternity  of 
hell-torments,  are  so  far  from  using  it  as  a  motive  to 
holiness,  that  it  is  only  made  a  handle  to  sloth  and 
security.  This  may  seem  to  be  a  paradox,  but  it  is 
no  hard  matter  to  explain  it. 

For,  the  greater  disproportion  the  punishment 
men  are  threatened  with  seem  to  have,  either  with 
their  crimes,  or  the  ideas  they  form  to  themselves  of 
the  mercy  of  God,  the  more  confidently  they  per- 
suade themselves  that  eternal  firef  will  not  be  their 
lot.  But  if,  instead  of  determining  the  duration  of 
the  torments  which  sinners  must  undergo,  we  should 
rest  satisfied  with  telling  them  what  we  find  in  the 
second  chapter  to  the  Romans,  That  there  shall  be 
tribulation  and  anguish  upon  every  soul  of  man  that 
doth  evil;  and  that  in  so  just  a  proportion,  that  every 
one  shall  bear  the  punishment  of  his  iniquity,  and  shall 
eat  the  fruit  of  his  works:  It  would  then  be  impossi- 


NATURAL    AND    REVEALED    RELIGION.  133 

ble  for  the  conscience  of  the  most  profligate  not  to 
acquiesce  in  this  judgment,  nor  could  any  one  flatter 
himself  with  impunity  under  any  pretext  whatever. 
This  unchangeable  truth,  That  God  shall  render  to 
every  man  according  to  his  works,  so  often  repeated 
in  scripture,  is  written  in  indellible  characters  on  the 
consciences  of  all  men.  They  all  know  that  the 
idea  of  proportion  is  inseparable  from  that  of  equity; 
no  proportion  can  be  found  betwixt  a  wicked  life,  of 
a  few  years,  and  eternal  torments;  nor  is  there  less 
disproportion  found  between  such  punishment  and 
boundless  mercy. 

By  this  time  we  see,  that  the  objections  against 
making  known  this  doctrine  dwindles  almost  into 
nothing;  nay,  if  we  compare  the  efliects  aris- 
ing from  the  two  opinions,  which  is  most  likely  to  be 
productive  of  good?  Persons  in  the  first  case  are 
only  actuated  by  servile  fear,  which  makes  them 
easily  satisfied,  if  they  forsake  scandalous  sins, 
which  put  them  in  fear  of  hell;  therefore,  when 
once  they  come  to  lead  a  good  life  according  to  the 
world,  they  fancy  themselves  entirely  screened  from 
eternal  damnation,  so  that  they  need  not  give  them- 
selves any  farther  trouble;  they  are  content  with 
the  lowest  place  in  paradise;  and,  provided  they  do 
but  escape  hell,  they  aspire  at  nothing  more.  But 
those  that  are  actuated  by  the  strong  impression  of 
this  truth,  That  God  will  render  to  every  man  accord- 
ing to  his  ivorks,  are  set  to  work  after  another 
manner;  They  know  that  God  cannot  be  mocked; 
but  that,  whatever  a  man  sows,  that  shall  he  reap. 
12* 


134      NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION* 

Does  not  St.  John  say  (which  is  the  summary  of  all 
that  I  have  said)  ff^e  know,  when  the  Son  of  God  shall 
appear,  ive  shall  be  like  him,  and  shall  see  him  as  he 
is;  therefore  every  one  that  hath  this  hope,  purijieth 
himself,  even  as  he  is  pure.  We  cannot  see  God  as 
he  is,  without  being  like  him;  it  is  impossible  to  be 
like  him,  without  being  puritied  not  only  from  acts 
of  injustice,  but  also  from  the  whole  source  of  wick- 
edness which  is  as  it  were  incorporated  with  us; 
therefore  such  as  in  this  life  have  only  touched  on, 
or  begun  this  great  work,  must  certainly  continue  it 
in  the  next  till  they  become  like  Jesus  Christ,  other- 
wise they  cannot  see  him  as  he  is.  If  it  be  objected 
that  there  is  no  condemnation  for  those  who  are  in 
Christ  Jesus:  My  first  gives  a  solution  to  this  diffi- 
culty, viz.  That  God,  properly  speaking,  does  not 
punish  men,  but  leaves  them  to  reap  the  fruits  of 
what  they  have  sown. 

Upon  this  principle  it  must  be  observed,  that  the 
souls  which  after  this  life  suffer  torment,  proportion- 
ed to  the  evil  which  is  in  them,  do  not  pass  into  that 
state  of  suffering  by  a  sentence  positively  pronoun- 
ced by  God.  God  has  no  torment  to  inflict  upon  his 
creatures ;  whence  then  can  they  proceed  ^  I  answer, 
which  cannot  be  too  often  repeated,  from  themselves. 

I  ask,  what  is  solving  to  the  fiesh  ?  It  is  gratify- 
ing our  vicious  inclinations,  and  thereby  riveting 
those  habits  which  at  last  tyranise  over  us.  What 
is  reaping  corruption!  It  is  experiencing  the  tor- 
ment resulting  from  that  tyranny,  being  deprived  of 
the  objects  which  we  could  not  part  with,  without 
feeling  cutting    remorse,    for     having    voluntarily 


NATURAL    AND    REVEALED    RELIGION.  135 

itttached  ourselves  to  them.  When  therefore  we 
suppose  hell  torments  will  one  day  end,  we  do  not 
depart  from  the  ideas  which  both  scripture  and  good 
sense  give  us  of  it;  such  as  an  eternal  fire,  a  worm 
that  never  dieth;  for  it  is  but  too  probable,  that  the 
sufferers  of  those  dreadful  torments  will  reckon 
every  hour  an  age,  and  every  age  an  eternity. 

To  conclude,  then:  Let  us  see  whether  the  doc- 
trines of  purification  and  restoration  in  another  life 
will  not  reconcile  the  disputes,  that  have  so  long 
subsisted  between  those  two  grand  parties  of  divines, 
called  Particularists  and  Universalists :  The  former 
restrain  God's  will  to  a  small  number,  called  the 
elect,  whereas  the  latter  maintain,  that  God  will  save 
all  men. —  The  former  reply, 

•  That  the  will  of  God  is  efficacious,  and  therefore 
'he  cannot  fall  short  of  his  purpose;  that,  if  he 
'  willed  all  men  to  be  saved,  he  would  save  them 
'  effectually;  that  it  is  annihilating  his  omnipotence 

*  to  say,  he  desires  to  save    all   men,    but   that   he 

*  cannot.' 

The  Universalists,  on  the    other   hand,    maintain, 

*  That  it  is  injurious  to  the  goodness  of  God  to  say, 
'  that  he  cannot  save  all  men,  and  will  only  save  a 
'part;     that    it   is    accusing    him    of  cruelty,  who 

*  desires  that  none  should  perish,    but  that   all   may 

*  come  to  repentance;  that,    if  this    will   has  not  its 

*  effect,  the  fault  is  not  on  God's  part,  but  on  man's, 
'  who  resists  the  gracious  will  of  his  Creator.' 

Hence  it  appears,  that  the  divines  of  both  denom- 
inations, after  they  have  assented  to  the  thesis  in 
general,  deny  it,  when   they   come   to   particulars. 


136      NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION. 

The  former  injure  the  idea  we  have  of  the  goodness 
of  God;  the  latter,  those  we  entertain  of  his  omnip- 
otence. Let  us  now  see,  whether  we  cannot  unfold 
the  riddle:  and,  first,  it  is  granted  to  the  Particu- 
larists,  that  the  will  of  God  is  efficacious;  that  he 
cannot  be  frustrated  of  his  purpose;  and  that  all 
those,  whom  he  has  predestinated  to  salvation,  and 
for  whom  Christ  died,  will  he  infallibly  saved.  It  is 
likewise  granted  the  Vniversalists,  that  God  wills 
all  men  should  be  saved;  that  he  destines  no  one  to 
misery;  and  that  Christ  hath  tasted  death  for  every 
man. 

This  seems  contradictory;  but  we  shall  be  able 
to  clear  up  the  matter,  if  we  here  join  together  the 
different  theses  of  each  party. 

Pariicularists.  The  acts  of  the  divine  will  are 
efficacious. 

Universalists*  God  wills  all  men  to  be  saved. 

Therefore  all  men  will  one  day  be  saved. 

Part.  All  those,  whom  God  has  predestined  to 
salvation,  will  infallibly  be  saved. 

Univ.  God  predestinateth  none  to  wrath,  but  to 
salvation. 

*  Universalists  "in  this  instance  mean  those  that  were  for- 
merly called  so,  viz  :  not  such  as  held  absolutely  to  the  salva- 
tion of  all  mankind,  (for  the  name  of  Universalists  was  not  at 
first  applied  to  them,)  but  such  as  held  that  all  men  might  be 
eaved,  if  they  would.  See  Mod.  Hist.  Universalism,  p.  138, 
note.  Nicholson's  Encyclopedia,  Art.  Universalists  ;  and 
Mosheim's  Eccle.  Hist.  Cen,  xvii.    Part  il.  ch.  ii.  sec,  14. 

Editor. 


NATURAL    AND    REVEALED    RELIGION.  137 

Therefore  all  will  be  infallibly  saved. 

Part.  All  those,  for  whom  Christ  died,  will  par- 
take of  salvation. 

Univ.  Jesus  Christ  tasted  death  for  all,  and  was 
lifted  up  from  earth  to  draw  all  men  to  him. 

Therefore  all  will  partake  of  salvation^  and  at  last 
be  drawn  after  him. 

I  foresee  the  argument  will  be  denied,  and  retor- 
ted as  follows,  viz. 

Salvation  is  promised  only  to  those  who  are  sanc- 
tified. 

Infinitely  more  die,  who  are  not  sanctified,  than  who 
are. 

Therefore  all  men  will  not  be  saved. 

Now,  to  show,  that  the  first  conclusion  is  just,  and 
the  second  false,  we  need  only  join  to  these  two 
propositions  a  third,  drawn  from  the  principles  of  the 
Universalists : 

Salvation  is  promised  only  to  those  who  are  sane-- 
iified. 

God  wills y  that  all  men  come  to  repentance  and  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth. 

All  of  them  do  not  attain  to  it  in  this  life. 

Therefore  this  must  be  done  in  the  other. 

In  order  to  support  this  conclusion,  let  us  make 
use  of  some  principles  of  the  same  divines: 

God  offers  all  men  the  means  of  sanctification, 
but  commits  no  violence  on  their  liberty;  all  do  not 
make  the  advantage  of  the  proffer;  all  do  not  make 


138  NATURAL    AND    REVEALED    RELIGION. 

use  of  those  means  to  come  to  repentance  and  sane- 
tification. 

I  ask  now,  shall  the  purposes  of  God  be  frustrated 
by  the  resistance  of  man?  Will  he  not  find  some 
method  for  bringing  them  to  repentance  and  holiness 
without  forcing  their  liberty  ?  If  they  do  not  corres- 
pond with  those  means  in  this  life,  which  is  but  of  a 
minute^s  duration,  when  compared  with  eternity, 
will  he  confine  his  concern  for  the  restoration  of  his 
work  to  that  short  span?  Shall  not  he,  who  is  so 
well  acquainted  with  all  its  springs,  be  able  to  bring 
it  back  to  himself  at  last? 

By  the  knowledge  of  these  truths,  we  manifestly 
perceive  the  unchangeable  attributes  of  the  Deity, 
his  goodness,  his  omnipotence,  wisdom,  justice, 
holiness,  faithfulness,  and  mercy. — First,  I  say, 
his  Goodness,  as  God  wills  the  happiness  of  all  his 
creatures,  and  their  return  to  the  primitive  perfec- 
tion they  had  received  at  his  hands.  His  Omnipo- 
tence, as  it  hence  appears,  that  the  will  of  God  is 
efficacious,  that  his  arm  is  not  shortened,  but  that  he 
is  able,  sooner  or  later,  to  accom[»lish  all  his  designs. 
His  Faithfulness,  as  it  hereby  appears,  that  his  gifts 
and  calling  are  without  repentance ;  that,  having  once 
destined  man  to  bliss,  he  doth  not  desist  from  his 
first  design.  His  Mercy,  as  he  furnishes  the  most 
rebellious  with  the  means  of  sanctification;  as  he 
extends  the  eflTects  of  his  mercy,  not  to  some  only, 
but  to  all  without  exception,  not  only  in  this  life,  but 
also  in  the  life  to  come.  His  Justice,  by  leaving 
every  one  to  reap  the  fruits  of  what  he  has  sown; 


NATURAL    AND    REVEALED    RELIGION.  139 

by  making  tribulation  and  anguish  fall  upon  every 
soul  that  doth  evil,  and  making  them  eat  the  fruit  of 
their  own  doings  and  devices.  His  Holiness,  in  his 
not  being  re-united  to  his  creatures  before  he  has 
sanctified  them,  till  they  become  children  of  light. 
Divine  Justice  will  be  the  same  to  them,  that  fire  is 
to  hay  and  stubble;  and  this  fire  will  not  cease  to 
burn  till  all  unrighteousness  is  consumed;  then  only 
justice  will  cease  to  be  rigorous,  without  ceasing  to 
be  just. 

And  when  we  take  a  view  at  large,  and  see  how 
disproportioned  the  means  of  salvation  are  offered 
to  mankind  in  general,  or  even  to  Christians  in  par- 
ticular, some  of  whom  are,  in  respect  of  others,  like 
to  many  beasts  of  burthen,  bowed  down  from  their 
youth  under  the  weight  of  toil  and  labor,  which 
scarce  allow  them  time  to  enquire  whether  they 
have  souls  to  cultivate,  and  prepare  for  a  future  life; 
and  who,  on  observing  such  disproportions  between 
those,  who,  by  nature  are  of  equal  dignit)',  can  dis- 
cern impartiality  in  God?  Surely  nothing  can  ac- 
count for  this  conduct,  but  the  knowledge  of  a  state 
of  purification,  where  those,  who  have  been  unpro- 
vided with  the  means  of  coming  to  the  knowle  lo-e  of 
the  truth  in  this  life,  will  find  them  in  another.  This 
also  justifies  the  equity  of  God,  in  all  the  dreadful 
judgments  inflicted  on  whole  nations,  a  great  part 
whereof  knew  neither  good  nor  evil.  In  reality, 
did  we  not  know  that  in  the  other  life  there  will  be 
a  perfect  compensation,  both  in  regard  to  the  means 
t)f  salvation,  and  blessings  and  miseries,  should  we 


140      NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION. 

not  be  tempted  to  cry  out,  Is  there  knoivledge  in  the 
Lord,  and  does  he  iveigh  all  men  in  an  equal  balance! 
Now  let  us  sum  up  all  briefly,  recounting  the 
practical  uses  of  these  opinions.  Is  any  thing  more 
proper  for  overturning  the  false  maxims  so  much  in 
vogue,  in  which  numbers  securely  lull  themselves 
asleep,  than  the  knowledge  of  an  unchangeable 
justice,  that  constantly  judges  of  things  as  they 
really  are?  And  of  a  mercy,  which  is  so  far  from 
being  contrary  to  justice,  that  it  concurs  with  it  in 
the  grand  design  of  purifying  mankind? 

This  being  laid  down,  what  will  become  of  the 
hopes  of  those,  who  imagine  that  mercy  will  prevail 
against  justice  and  stop  its  course,  so  that  they  shall 
feel  none  of  its  effects? 

If  God  is  capable  of  anger,  provocation  and  re- 
venge, as  we  have  proved,  he  is  incapable  of  being 
appeased,  of  being  moved  with  repeated  cries,  or 
feeling  compassion  like  ours,  which  proceeds  only 
from  the  weakness  of  our  nature.  This  being  sup- 
posed, what  will  become  of  those  flattering  hopes, 
that  we  shall  appease  the  Deity  with  tears;  that,  on 
begging  grace  and  mercy,  he  will  be  easily  prevailed 
on  to  relent? 

If  the  greatest  favor  God  can  do  men  is  to  purify 
them,  and  if  this  is  the  only  way  by  which  they 
arrive  at  happiness,  how  can  they  desire  mercy  to 
exempt  them  from  purification?  Could  they  obtain 
their  request,  they  would  obtain  eternal  torment, 
since,  without  holiness,  they  will  never  see  God. 

Upon  the  whole,  I  know  not  whether  any   other 


NATURAL  AND  REVEALED  RELIGION.      141 

system  contains  motives  so  efficacious  for  engaging 
mankind  to  walk  in  the  ways  of  real  holiness;  any 
system,  which  can  make  religion  more  venerable, 
in  the  eyes  even  of  libertines,  or  more  lovely  to  the 
lovers  of  truth;  that  places  in  a  clearer  light  the 
wonderful  harmony  of  the  divine  attributes,  and  the 
reasons  we  have  to  love  sovereign  perfection. 
13 


ENO. 


HARTLEY 


«N 


UNIVERSALIS M 


HARTLEY 


UNIVERSALISM 


OF  THE  FINAL  HAPPINESS  OF  ALL  MANKIND 
'      IN  SOME  DISTANT  FUTURE  STATE, 

I.  It  is  probable  from  reason  that  all  mankind  will  ht 
made  happy  ultimatehj.  For,  first,  it  has  been  observed 
all  along  in  the  course  of  this  work,  that  all  the  evils 
that  befal  either  body  or  mind  in  this  state,  have  a  ten- 
dency to  improve  one  or  both.  If  they  fail  of  pro- 
ducing a  peculiar,  appropriated  intermediate  good 
effect,  they  must,  however,  necessarily  contribute 
to  the  annihilation  of  that  self,  carnal  or  spiritual, 
gross  or  refined,  which  is  an  insuperable  bar  to  our 
happiness  in  the  pure  love  of  God,  and  of  his  works. 
Now,  if  we  reason  at  all  concerning  a  future  state, 
it  must  be  from  analogies  taken  from  this;  and  that 
we  are  allowed  to  reason,  that  we  are  able  to  do  it 
13* 


146  HARTLEY    ON    UNIVERSALISM. 

with  some  justness,  concerning  a  future  state,  will 
appear  from  the  great  coincidence  of  the  foregoing 
natural  arguments  for  a  future  state,  and  for  the  re- 
wards and  punishments  of  it,  with  what  the  scrip- 
tures have  delivered  upon  the  same  heads;  also 
because  a  similar  kind  of  reasonings  in  respect  of 
the  future  states,  which  succeed  in  order  from  infan- 
cy to  old  age,  is  found  to  be  just,  and  to  afford 
many  useful  directions  and  predictions.  We  ought 
therefore  to  judge,  that  the  evils  of  a  future  state 
will  have  the  same  tendency,  and  final  cause,  as 
those  of  this  life,  viz.  to  meliorate  and  perfect  our 
natures,  and  to  prepare  them  for  ultimate  unlimited 
happiness  in  the  love  of  God,  and  of  his  works. 

Secondly,  the  generation  of  benevolence,  by  the 
natural  and  necessary  tendency  of  our  frames,  is  a 
strong  argument  for  the  ultimate  happiness  of  all 
mankind.  It  is  inconsistent  to  suppose,  that  God 
should  thus  compel  us  to  learn  universal  unlimited 
benevolence  ;  and  then  not  provide  food  for  it.  And 
both  this  and  the  foregoing  argument  seem  conclu- 
sive, though  we  should  not  take  in  the  divine  benev- 
olence. They  are  both  supported  by  the  analogy 
and  uniformity  apparent  in  the  creation,  by  the 
mutual  adaptations  and  correspondencies  of  things 
existing  at  different  times,  and  in  different  places: 
but  they  receive  much  additional  force  from  the  con- 
sideration of  the  goodness  of  God,  if  that  be  first 
proved  by  other  evidences;  as  they  are  themselves 
the  strongest  evidences  for  it,  when  taken  in  a  con- 
trary order  of  reasoning. 


HARTLEY    ON    UNIVERSALISM.  147 

And  as  the  benevolence  of  one  part  of  the  crea- 
tion is  thus  an  argument  for  the  happiness  of  the 
other;  so,  since  benevolence  is  itself  happiness,  a 
tendency  to  learn  it  in  any  being  is  also  an  argu- 
ment for  his  own  happiness.  And,  upon  the  whole, 
since  God  has  commanded  his  beloved  sons,  the 
good,  to  love  and  compassionate  every  being,  that 
comes  within  their  cognizance,  by  the  voice  of  their 
natures  speaking  within  them,  we.  cannot  suppose, 
that  these  his  favorites  (to  speak  according  to  pres- 
ent appearances,  and  our  necessary  conceptions, 
which  with  this  caution  is  justifiable)  will  fail  of 
their  proper  reward  in  the  gratification  of  this  their 
benevolence. 

Thirdly,  the  infinite  goodness  of  God  is  an  argu- 
ment for  the  ultimate  happiness  of  all  mankind. 
This  appears  without  any  particular  discussion  of 
this  attribute.  But  it  may  not  be  amiss  for  the 
reader  just  to  review  the  evidences  for  it  above 
exhibited,  and  their  tendency  to  prove  the  ultimate 
happiness  of  all  God's  creatures. 

Fourthly,  The  infinite  happiness  and  perfection  of 
God  is  an  argument  for,  and,  as  it  were,  a  pledge  of, 
the  ultimate  happiness  and  perfection  of  all  his 
creatures.  For  these  attributes,  being  infinite,  must 
bear  down  all  opposition  from  the  quarters  of  misery 
and  imperfection.  And  this  argument  will  be  much 
stronger,  if  we  suppose  (with  reverence  be  it  spo- 
ken!) any  intimate  union  between  God  and  his 
creatures;  and  that,  as  the  happiness  of  the  crea- 
tures arises  from  their  love  and  worship  of  God,  so 
the  happiness  of  God  consists,  shows  itself,  &c.  (for 


148  HARTLEY    ON    UNIVERSALISM. 

one  does  not  know  how  to  express  this  properly)  in 
love  and  beneficence  to  the  creatures.  As  God  is 
present  every  where,  knows  and  perceives  every 
thing,  he  may  also,  in  a  way  infinitely  superior  to 
our  comprehension,  feel  every  where  for  all  his 
creatures.  JVow,  according  to  this,  it  would  seem 
to  us,  that  all  must  be  brought  to  ultimate  infinite 
happiness,  which  is,  in  his  eye,  present  infinite  hap- 
piness. 

Fifthly,  The  impartiality  of  God,  in  respect  of  all 
his  creatures,  seems  to  argue,  that,  if  one  be  made 
infinitely  happy  upon  the  balance,  all  will  be  made 
so.  That  benevolence,  which  is  infinite,  must  be 
impartial  also;  must  look  upon  all  individuals,  and 
all  degrees  of  happiness,  with  an  equal  eye;  must 
stand  in  a  relation  of  indifference  to  them  all.  Now 
this  is  really  so,  if  we  admit  the  third  of  the  forego- 
ing suppositions  concerning  the  divine  benevolence. 
If  all  individuals  be  at  last  infinitely  happy  upon  the 
balance,  they  are  so  at  present  in  the  eye  of  God, 
i.  e.  he  is  perfectly  impartial  to  all  his  creatures. 
And  thus  every  intermediate  finite  degree  of  misery, 
how  great  soever,  may  be  consistent  with  the  impar- 
tiality of  God.  But  to  suppose,  before  the  creatures 
A  and  B  existed,  that  A  was  made  by  God  to  be 
eternally  happy,  and  B  made  to  be  eternally 
miserable,  seems  as  irreconcileable  to  God's 
impartiality,  as  to  his  benevolence.  That  both 
should  be  made  for  eternal  and  infinite  happi- 
ness, one  to  enjoy  it  in  one  way,  the  other  in  another; 
one  by  passing  through  much  pain,  the  other  by 
passing  through  little  or  perhaps  none;  one  by  an 
acceleration  in  one  period  of  his  existence,  the  other 


HARTLEY    ON    UNIVERSALISM.  149 

in  another,  &c.  &c.  is  perfectly  consistent  with  God's 
impartiality;  for,  the  happiness  of  each  being  infi- 
nite at  present  in  the  eye  of  God,  his  eye  must 
regard  them  equally.  And,  even  in  the  eye  of 
finite  beings,  if  A's  happiness  seems  less  than  B's, 
in  one  respect,  because  A  passes  through  more 
pain,  it  may  seem  greater  in  another,  because  he 
arrives  at  greater  degrees  of  it  in  less  time.  But 
this  is  all  appearance.  Different  finite  beings  form 
different  judgments  according  to  their  different  ex- 
periences, and  ways  of  reasoning.  Who  therefore 
shall  be  made  the  standard  ?  Not  the  inferior 
orders,  certainly.  And,  if  the  superior,  we  shall  not 
be  able  to  rest,  till  we  conclude,  that  all  that  appears 
to  all  finite  beings,  is  false  and  delusive;  and  that 
the  judgment  of  the  infinite  being  is  the  only  true 
real  judgment.  Now  I  have  endeavored  to  show, 
according  to  the  method  of  ultimate  ratios,  how, 
allowing  the  third  supposition  concerning  the  divine 
goodness,  all  individuals  are  equally  happy  in  the 
eye  of  God.  And  thus  the  impartiality  of  God 
is  vindicated,  according  to  the  truth  and  reality  of 
things,  in  the  judgment  of  his  own  infinite  under- 
standing. 

Sixthly,  All  the  foregoing  reasons  seem  to  be 
somewhat  more  short  and  clear  upon  the  hypothesis 
of  mechanism;  but  it  is  not  invalidated  by  that  of 
free-will.  For  free-will  must  be  considered  as  the 
production  of  infinite  power,  and  therefore  as  being 
suited  to  the  rest  of  the  divine  attributes,  his  benev- 
olence, happiness,  and  impartiality,  and  to  all  the 
methods,  by  which  God   conducts  men   to  benevo- 


150  HARTLEY    ON    UNIVERBALISM. 

lence  and  happiness.  Or,  if  the  hypothesis  of  free- 
will be  a  bar  to  the  foregoing  reasonings  in  their 
full  extent,  it  cannot,  however,  account  for  misery 
upon  the  whole,  much  less  for  eternal  misery.  To 
suppose  that  God  wills  and  desires  the  happiness  of 
all  his  creatures,  and  yet  that  he  has  given  them  a 
power,  by  which  many  of  them  will,  in  fact,  make 
themselves  eternally  miserable,  also  that  he  foresees 
this  in  general,  and  in  each  particular  case,  is  either 
to  suppose  God  under  some  fatal  necessity  of  giving 
such  a  power;  or  else  to  take  away  his  unlimited 
benevolence  in  reality,  after  that  it  has  b^ien  allowed 
in  words.  If  therefore  God  has  given  men  free-will 
in  such  a  measure,  as  that  they  may  bring  upoti 
themselves  finite  miseries  thereby  in  the  present  state, 
or  in  any  future  intermediate  one,  we  must,  however, 
suppose  it  to  be  so  restrained,  as  that  it  shall  not  oc- 
casion infinite  and  eternal  misery.  The  cause  of  the 
cause  is  also  the  cause  of  the  thing  caused;  which  is 
surely  as  evident  in  the  application  of  it  to  the  pres- 
ent subject,  as  in  any  other  instance,  where  it  can- 
not be  applied. 

Seventhly,  There  aro  many  obvious  and  undenia- 
ble arguments,  taken  from  the  relative  attributes  of 
God,  which  first  exclude  the  eternal  misery  of  his 
creatures,  and  then  establish  their  ultimate  happi- 
ness by  necessary,  or,  at  least,  by  probable  conse- 
quence. Thus  the  whole  tenor  of  nature  represents 
God -to  us  as  our  creator,  preserver,  governor, 
friend,  and  father.  All  ages  and  nations  have  fallen 
into  this  language;  and  it  is  verified  every  day  by 
the  wonderful   beauty,    harmony,  and  beneficence, 


HARTLEY    ON    UNIVERSALISM.  151 

manifested  in  the  works  of  the  creation,  and  partic- 
ularly in  the  exquisite  make  of  our  bodies  and 
minds.  Shall  then  a  Creator,  who  is  a  friend  and 
father,  create  for  eternal  infinite  misery  ?  Can  any 
intermediate  suppositions,  free-will,  perverseness, 
reprobateness,  &c.  reconcile  and  unite  extremes  so 
utterly  discordant  ?  Will  he  preserve  an  ex:istence, 
which  ceases  to  afford  happiness,  and  can  now  only 
produce  misery  without  end  ?  Will  not  the  govern- 
or and  judge  of  all  the  earth  do  right?  In  whatever 
manner  sin  be  estimated,  it  must  be  finite,  because 
it  is  the  work  of  a  finite  mind,  of  finite  principles 
and  passions.  To  suppose  therefore  a  sinner  to  be 
absolutely  condemned  to  infinite  irreversible  misery, 
on  account  of  the  finite  sins  of  this  life,  seems  most 
highly  injurious  to  the  justice  of  God.  And  to  say, 
that  this  infinite  irreversible  misery  is  not  merely  the 
consequence  of  the  sins  of  this  life,  but  also  of 
those  to  be  committed  in  another,  is  to  give  a  power 
of  repenting,  and  becoming  virtuous,  as  well  as  of 
sinning,  in  another  life;  whence  the  sentence  might 
be  reversed,  contrary  to  the  supposition. 

The  worst  man  of  those  who  go  to  heaven,  and 
the  best  of  those  who  go  to  hell,  seem  to  us,  if  we 
will  reason  upon  these  subjects,  as  we  do  upon 
others,  to  difl^er  but  by  an  infinitesimal  difl^erence, 
as  one  may  say;  and  yet  the  reward  of  the  first, 
being  eternal,  however  small  in  each  finite  portion  of 
time,  must  at  last  become  infinite  in  magnitude;  and 
the  punishment  of  the  last  in  like  manner.  There 
would  therefore  be  a  double  infinite  difference  in  the 
reward  and  punishment,  where  the  virtue  and   vice 


152  HARTLEY    ON    UNIVE11SALI9M. 

causing  these  respectively,  have  only  an  infinite- 
ly small  one.  To  say,  that,  in  such  cases,  the 
rewards  and  punishments  of  another  life  may  he  so 
conducted,  by  a  mixture  of  happiness  and  misery  in 
each,  as  that  the  balance  shall  not  become  ultimately 
infinite  in  either,  is  to  take  away  all  hopes  and  fears 
relating  to  a  future  state;  i.  e.  morally  and  practically 
to  take  away  the  state  itself. 

Again,  can  it  be  supposed,  that  an  infinitely  mer- 
ciful Father  will  cast  off  his  son  utterly,  and  doomf 
him  to  eternal  misery,  without  farther  trials  than 
what  this  life  affords?  We  see  numberless  instances 
of  persons  at  present  abandoned  to  vice,  who  yet, 
according  to  all  probable  appearances,  might  be 
reformed  by  a  proper  mixture  of  correction,  instruc- 
tion, hope,  and  fear.  And  what  man  is  neither 
able  nor  willing  to  do,  may  and  must,  as  should  seem, 
be  both  possible  to  God,  and  actually  effected  by 
him.  He  must  have  future  discipline  of  a  severer 
kind  for  those  whom  the  chastisements  of  this  life 
did  not  bring  to  themselves.  Yet  still  they  will  all 
be  fatherly  chastisements,  intended  to  amend  and 
perfect,  not  to  be  final  and  vindictive.  'I  hat  the 
bulk  of  sinners  are  not  utterly  incorrigiule,  even 
common  observation  shows;  but  the  history  of  asso- 
ciation makes  it  still  more  evident;  and  it  seems 
very  repugnant  to  analogy  to  suppose,  that  any  sin- 
ners, even  the  very  worst  that  ever  lived,  siiould  be 
so,  should  be  hardened  beyond  the  reach  of  all 
suffering,  of  all  selfishness,  hope,  fear,  good- will, 
gratitude,  &c.  For  we  are  all  alike  in  kind,  and  do 
not  differ  greatly  in  degree  here.     We  have  each  of 


HARTLEY    ON    UNIVERSALISM.  153 

US  passions  of  all  sorts,  and  lie  open  to  influences  of 
all  sorts;  so  as  that  the  persons  A  and  jB,  in  what- 
ever different  proportions  their  intellectual  affections 
now  exist,  may,  by  a  suitable  set  of  impressions, 
become  hereafler  alike. 

These  and  many  such  like  reasonings  must  occur 
to  attentive  persons  upon  this  subject,  so  as  to  make 
it  highly  unsuitable  to  the  benevolence  of  the  Deity, 
or  to  the  relations  which  he  bears  to  us.  according  to 
the  mere  light  of  nature,  that  infinite  irreversible 
misery,  to  commence  at  death,  should  be  the  pun- 
ishment of  the  sins  of  this  life.  And,  by  pursuing 
this  method  of  reasoning,  we  shall  be  led  first  to 
exclude  misery  upon  the  balance,  and  then  to  hope 
for  the  ultimate  unlimited  happiness  of  all  mankind. 

II,  It  is  probable  from  tHe  scriptures,  that  all 
mankind  will  be  made  ultimately  happy.  In  consid- 
ering the  doctrine  of  the  scriptures  upon  this  head, 
it  will  first  be  requisite  to  show,  that  the  texts  alleged 
to  prove  the  absolutely  eternal  and  irreversible  mis- 
ery of  the  wicked  in  another  life,  may  justly  be 
interpreted  in  a  different  sense. 

Now  the  Greek  words  translated  eternal,  everlast- 
ing, and  /orerer,  in  the  jVew  Testament,  do  not  by 
derivation  stand  for  an  absolute  eternity,  neither  are 
they  always  used  in  this  sense  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, the  Septuagint,  or  pagan  authors.  The  same 
may  be  said  of  the  corresponding  Hebrew  words. 
It  is  true  indeed,  that  they  generally  represent  a 
long  duration;  and  this  is  sometimes  limited  by  the 
context,  or  nature  of  the  subject;  sometimes  not, 
14 


154  HARTLEY    ON    UNIVERSALISM. 

Now,  according  to  this  interpretation,  the  punish- 
ments of  the  wicked  will  be  of  great  duration,  sup- 
pose of  one  or  more  long  ages  or  dispensations. 
But  one  might  rather  conclude,  from  the  words  of 
the  original,  if  their  derivation  be  considered,  that 
they  will  end  at  the  expiration  of  some  such  long 
period,  than  that  they  will  be  absolutely  eternal. 

If  it  be  said,  that  the  eternity  of  God  is  expressed 
by  the  same  words, —  I  answer,  that  here  the  nature 
of  the  subject  gives  a  sense  to  the  words,  whereof 
they  are  otherwise  incapable.  It  may  be  urged  in 
like  manner,  that  the  duration  of  future  rewards  is 
expressed  by  the  same  words;  but  then  the  absolute 
eternity  of  this  duration  is  not  perhaps  deducible  at 
all  from  these  or  any  other  words.  We  must  in  this 
entirely  refer  ourselves  to  the  bounty  and  benevo- 
lence of  our  Creator,  and  depend  upon  him  for  all 
our  expectations.  Besides,  the  nature  of  the  subject 
differs  widely  here.  To  suppose  the  misery  of  the 
wicked  to  be,  in  every  respect,  equal  and  parallel  to 
the  happiness  of  the  good,  is  quite  contrary  to  the 
general  tenor  of  the  scriptures,  and  looks  like  set- 
ting up  the  Manichean  doctrine  of  two  opposite 
infinite  principles,  a  doctrine  every  where  condemned 
in  effect,  though  not  in  express  words,  both  by  the 
Old  and  New  Testament.  We  may  add,  that  the 
happiness  of  the  good  is  also  denoted  in  scripture 
by  incorruption,  indissolubility,  &c.  as  well  as  by 
the  words  applied  to  the  punishments  of  the  wicked. 

The  words  of  our  Saviour,  where  their  ivorm  dieth 
not,  and  their  fire  is  not  quenched,  are  thought  by 
some  to  be  a  strong  argument  for  the  absolute  eter- 


HARTLEY    ON    UNIVERSALISM.  155 

nity  of  future  punishment.  But  as  these  words  are 
taken  from  Isaiah,  and  allude  to  the  punishment  of 
the  malefactors,  whose  carcasses  were  suffered  to 
rot  upon  the  ground,  or  burnt  in  the  valley  of 
Hinnom,  they  appear  to  be  too  popular  and  figurative 
to  justify  such  an  interpretation.  And  yet  they 
seem  plainly  intended  to  declare  the  very  long  dura- 
tion of  future  punishment;  and  that,  as  the  worms, 
which  feed  upon  a  putrefied  body,  or  the  fire,  which 
burns  it  in  this  world,  do  themselves  come  to  a  cer- 
tain and  known  period,  the  misery  of  another  world, 
and  the  fire  of  hell,  will  have  no  definite  one,  but 
continue  till  they  have  consumed  the  sin  and  guilt 
which  feed  them.  In  this  way  of  interpretation,  the 
passage  under  consideration  would  agree  with  that 
concerning  the  payment  of  the  last  farthing. 

Our  Saviour's  expression  concerning  Judas,  viz. 
that  it  had  been  good  for  him,  that  he  had  not  been 
born,  cannot  indeed  be  alleged  for  the  proof  of  the 
eternity  of  future  punishment;  but  it  seems  to  oppose 
the  supposition  of  the  ultimate  happiness  of  all. 
However,  this  expression  may  be  popular  and  pro- 
verbial; or  it  may  perhaps  denote,  that  his  last 
agonies,  or  his  sufferings  in  another  world,  should 
outweigh  all  his  preceding  happiness,  or  some  way 
admit  of  an  interpretation  consistent  with  the  propo- 
sition under  consideration;  for  it  does  not  appear 
to  be  sufficiently  clear  and  precise  for  an  absolute 
disproof  of  it.  We  may  add,  that  as  every  man, 
who  at  his  death  falls  short  of  the  terms  of  salva- 
tion, whatever  these  be,  crucifies  the  Son  of  God 
afresh,  according  to  the  language  of  St,  Paul ;  so 


156  HARTLEY    ON    UNIVERSALISM, 

he  will  have  reason,  according  to  his  then  necessary 
conceptions,  to  wish  with  Judas,  that  he  had  never 
been  born.  0  that  they  were  wise,  that  they  under- 
stood this,  that  they  ivould  consider  their  latter  end! 

Now,  as  the  words  of  the  New  Testament  do  not 
necessarily  infer  the  absolute  eternity  of  punish- 
ment; so  the  general  tenor  of  reasoning  there  used, 
with  numberless  passages  both  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testaments,  concerning  the  mercy  of  God,  his 
readiness  to  forgive,  &c.  favor  the  contrary  opinion, 
and  this  is  a  farther  reason  for  interpreting  these 
texts  of  an  indefinitely  long  duration  only  ;  and  that 
especially  if  the  small  number  of  them,  and  the 
infinite  importance  of  the  doctrine  which  they  are 
supposed  to  contain,  be  also  taken  into  considera- 
tion. 

To  the  same  purpose  we  may  observe,  that  there 
is  nothing  in  all  St.  Paul's  Epistle,  from  whence  the 
absolute  eternity  of  future  punishment  can  be  at  all 
inferred,  except  the  words,  everlasting  destruction 
from  the  presence  of  our  Lord,  2  Thess.  i.  9,  though 
the  Epistles  to  the  Romans  and  Hebrews  are  both 
of  them  general  summaries  of  the  christian  religion, 
and  though  he  speaks  in  both  of  future  punishment. 
In  the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  he  says.  Tribulation 
and  anguish  (not  eternal  tribulation)  shall  be  upon 
every  soul  of  man,  that  doth  etnl;  also,  that  the  ivages 
of  sin  is  death,  not  eternal  death,  or  eternal  punish- 
ment; whereas  the  gift  of  God  is  eternal  life.  In  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  he  asks,  of  how  much  sorer 
punishment  than  temporal  death,  an  apostate  is  to  be 
thought  worthy  ?     Which  seems  not  likely  for  him 


HARTLEY    ON    UNVERSALISM.  157 

to  do,  had  he  believed  it  eternal.  In  like  manner, 
there  is  nothing  of  this  kind  in  St.  Luke's  Gospel, 
or  his  Acts  of  the  AjwstUs,  in  St.  John's  Gospel,  or 
his  Epistles,  or  in  the  Epistles  of  St.  James,  St. 
Peter,  or  St.  Jude.  And  yet  good  men  now,  who 
believe  the  eternity  of  punishment,  scarce  ever  fail 
to  insist  upon  it  most  earnestly  in  their  discourses 
and  exhortations.  For,  if  it  be  a  doctrine  «>f  the 
christian  religion,  it  is  so  essential  a  one,  as  that  it 
could  not  have  been  omitted  by  any  inspired  writer, 
nor  fail  to  have  been  declared  in  the  most  express 
terms,  which  certainly  cannot  be  said  of  any  of  the 
texts  alleged  to  prove  the  eternity  of  punishment. 
The  words  translated  eternal,  and  forever,  must 
have  been  ambiguous  to  the  Jews,  i.  e.  to  the  first 
Christians;  and  the  figurative  expression,  their  worm 
dieth  not,  &c.  is  far  less  determinate  than  many 
phrases,  which  our  Saviour  might  have  chosen,  had 
it  been  his  intention  to  denounce  absolutely  eternal 
misery. 

To  this  we  may  add,  that  it  does  not  appear  from 
the  writings  of  the  most  ancient  fathers,  that  they 
put  such  a  construction  upon  the  words  of  the  New 
Testament;  and  the  omission  of  this  doctrine  in  the 
ancient  creed  shows,  that  it  was  no  original  doctrine, 
or  not  thought  essential;  which  yet  could  not  be, 
if  it  was  believed;  or  that  many  eminent  persons  for 
some  centuries  were  of  a  contrary  opinion.  And 
indeed  the  doctrine  of  purgatory,  as  now  taught  by 
the  papists,  seems  to  be  a  corruption  of  a  genuine 
doctrine  held  by  the  ancient  fathers  concerning  a 
purifying  fire. 

14* 


158  HARTLEY    ON    UNIVERSALISM. 

It  may  perhaps  be,  that  the  absolute  eternity  of 
punishment  was  not  received,  till  after  the  introduc- 
tion of  metaphysical  subtleties,  relating  to  time, 
eternity,  &c.  and  the  ways  of  expressing  these,  i.  e. 
not  till  after  the  pagan  philosophy,  and  vain  deceit, 
had  mixed  itself  with  and  corrupted  Christianity. 

Still  farther,  it  does  by  no  means  appear  to  be  con- 
sonant to  the  nature  of  the  christian  religion  .to 
interpret  the  New  Testament  in  a  strictly  literal 
manner,  or  adhere  to  phrases  in  opposition  to  the 
general  tenor  of  it.  Our  Saviour  in  many  places 
appeals  to  the  natural  equitable  judgments  of  his 
auditors.  The  evangelists  and  apostles  all  enter 
into  the  reasons  of  things;  the  gospels  are  short 
memoirs  ;  the  epistles  were  written  to  friends,  and 
new  converts;  and  the  nature  of  such  writings  must 
be  very  different  from  that  of  a  precise  determinate 
law,  such  as  that  of  Moses,  or  the  civil  law  of  any 
country.  And  indeed  herein  lies  one  material  dif- 
ference between  the  rigid  Jewish  dispensation,  and 
the  Christian,  which  last  is  called  by  St.  James  the 
perfect  law  of  liberty.  From  all  which  it  follows, 
that  we  are  rather  to  follow  the  general  tenor,  than 
to  adhere  to  particular  expressions.  And  this  will 
appear  still  more  reasonable,  when  it  is  considered, 
that  we  are  yet  but  novices  in  the  language  of  the 
Old  and  New  Testaments,  the  relations  which  they 
bear  to  each  other,  and  their  declarations  concern- 
ing future  events. 

Another  argument  against  interpreting  the  pas- 
sages above  referred  to,  in  the  sense  of  absolutely 
eternal  misery,  is,  that  there  are  many  other  passages 


HARTLEY    ON    UNIVERSALISM.  159 

whose  strict  and  literal  sense  is  contrary  thereto. 
And  in  such  a  case  it  seems,  that  the  infinite  good- 
ness of  God,  so  many  ways  declared  in  the  scrip- 
tures, must  soon  turn  the  scale.  For  the  scriptures 
must  be  made  consistent  with  themselves;  and  the 
veracity  and  goodness  of  God  seem  much  rather  to 
oblige  him  to  perform  a  promise,  than  to  execute  a 
threatening.  1  will  mention  a  few  passages,  some 
of  which  it  may  be  observed  even  establish  the  con- 
trary doctrine  of  the  ultimate  happiness  of  all 
mankind. 

Thus  the  most  natural,  as  well   as  the  most  strict 
and  literal  sense  of  the  words,  As  in  Mam  all  die, 
so  in  Christ  shall  all  he  made  alive,    is    the    ultimate 
happiness  of  all  the  children  of  Adam,  of  all  man- 
kind.    God's  mercy  is  declared  to  endure  forever; 
and  he  is  said  not  to  keep  his  anger  forever:  which 
expressions,  in  their  first  and  most    obvious   sense, 
are  quite  inconsistent  with  the  absolute   eternity   of 
punishment.     Our  Saviour  says,  that  the  person  who 
is  not  reconciled  to  his  brother  shall  not  be  discharged 
till  he  has  jmid  the   last  farthing;   which    intimates, 
that  there  is  a  time  when  he  will  be  discharged.     In 
like    manner,  the    debtor,   who   owed   his    lord   ten 
thousand  talents,  is  delivered  over  to  the  tormentors 
till  he  pay  these.     To    say    that    he    can  never  pay 
them,  because  as  we  have  all  our  faculties  from  God, 
so  we  can  merit  nothing  from    God,    is   to   embrace 
the  mechanical  hypothesis,  which,  in  the  judtrment 
of  all,  must  be  utterly  inconsistent  with  the  eternity 
of  punishment.     For,  if  a  man  cannot  have    merit, 
he  cannot  have  demerit.     To  suppose  a  creature  any 


160  HARTLEY    ON    UNIVERSALISM. 

way  brought  into  being  upon  such  terms  as  to  be 
only  capable  of  demerit,  seems  most  highly  injuri- 
ous to  the  attributes  of  God,  by  whatever  means  this 
be  effected,  the  fall  of  our  first  parents,  or  any 
other. 

Again,  God  in  judgment  remembers  mercy.  This 
is  said  in  general;  and  therefore  it  ought  not  to  be 
confined  to  the  judgments  of  this  world.  And  to  do 
so,  when  all  the  pleasures  and  pains  of  this  world 
are  everywhere  in  the  New  Testament  declared 
unworthy  of  our  regard  in  comparison  of  those  of 
another,  is  highly  unsuitable  to  the  goodness  of  God. 
But  indeed  this  cannot  be  done  without  departing 
from  the  most  obvious  literal  sense.  The  same  may 
be  said  of  the  passages,  God  is  not  extreme  to  mark 
what  is  done  amiss;  that  he  is  loving  to  every  man; 
that  his  mercy,  his  tender  mercy,  is  over  all  his  loorhs, 
&c.  Can  it  be  said  with  any  appearance  of  truth, 
that  God  will  give  an  infinite  overbalance  of  misery 
to  those  beings  whom  he  loves? 

It  may  well  be  supposed,  that  though  the  pun- 
ishments of  a  future  state  be  finite,  yet  this  should 
not  be  declared  in  so  many  words  in  the  scriptures. 
For  such  a  procedure  would  be  analogous  to  the 
gradual  opening  of  all  God's  dispensations  of  mercy. 
Mankind  in  their  infant  state  were  not  able  to 
receive  such  kind  of  nourishment;  neither  are  all 
perhaps  yet  able.  But,  if  future  punishments  be 
absolutely  eternal,  it  is  hard  to  conceive  why  this 
should  not  have  been  declared  in  the  most  express 
terms,  and  in  many  places  of  scripture;  also  how 
there  should  be  so  many  passages  there,  which  are 
apparently  inconsistent  therewith. 


HARTLEY    ON    UxVIVERSALISM.  161 

There  remains  one  argument  more,  and  of  great 
v/eight  in  my  opinion,  against  interpreting  hny 
passages  of  scripture  so  as  to  denounce  absolutely 
eternal  misery.  This  is,  the  declaration  of  the 
scriptures  concerning  the  smallness  of  the  number 
of  the  elect,  and  the  great  difficulty  of  entering 
in  at  the  strait  gate,  already  taken  notice  of  To 
suppose  future  punishments  to  be  absolutely  eter- 
nal, is  to  suppose,  that  the  christian  dispensation 
condemns  far  the  greater  part  of  mankind  to  infinite 
misery  upon  the  balance,  whilst  yet  it  is  every  where 
declared  to  be  a  dispensation  of  mercy,  to  be  glory 
to  God,  and  good  will  to  men;  which  is  a  great 
apparent  inconsistency.  And  indeed,  unless  the 
doctrine  of  absolutely  eternal  punishment  be  taken 
away,  it  seems  impracticable  to  convince  the  world 
of  the  great  purity  and  perfection  required  by  the 
gospel  in  order  to  our  entrance  into  the  kingdom 
of  heaven.  If  there  be  no  punishment  in  another 
state,  besides  what  is  absolutely  eternal,  men  of 
very  low  degrees  of  virtue  will  hope  to  escape  this, 
and  consequently  to  escape  with  impunity:  whereas, 
if  there  be  a  purging  fire,  into  which  all  the  wicked 
are  to  be  cast,  to  remain  and  suffer  there  according 
to  their  demerits,  far  beyond  what  men  generally 
suffer  in  this  life ;  and  if  there  be  only  few,  that  are 
admitted  to  happiness  after  the  expiration  of  this 
life,  without  such  farther  purification;  what  vigor 
and  earnestness  should  we  use  to  escape  so  great  a 
punishment,  and  to  be  of  the  happy  number  of  those 
whose  names  are.  written  in  the  book  of  life  ! 


162  H  ARTLEY    ON    UNIVERSALISM. 

This  may  suffice  to  show,  that  the  absolute  eterni- 
nity  of  future  punishment  cannot  be  concluded  from 
the  scriptures.  We  are  next  to  inquire  what  evi- 
dences they  afford  for  the  ultimate  happiness  of  all 
mankind.  I  have  already  mentioned  some  pas- 
sages, which  favor  this  doctrine;  but  I  intend  now  to 
propose  two  arguments  of  a  more  general  nature. 

First,  then,  it  may  be  observed,  that  the  scriptures 
give  a  sanction  to  most  of  the  foregoing  arguments, 
taken  from  the  light  of  nature,  for  this  doctrine,  by 
reasoning  in  the  same  manner.  Thus  the  punish- 
ments of  the  Jeivs  and  others  are  represented  as 
chastisements,  i.  e.  as  evils  tending  to  produce  a 
good  greater  than  themselves.  Our  benevolence  to 
our  children  is  represented  by  Christ,  as  an  argu- 
ment of  the  infinitely  greater  benevolence  of  God 
our  heavenly  father.  God  promises  to  make  Mra- 
ham  haj)py  by  making  his  posterity  happy,  and  them 
happy  by  making  them  the  instruments  of  happiness 
to  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  (which  they  are  still 
to  be,  probably,  in  a  much  more  ample  manner,  than 
they  have  ever  yet  been).  Now  this  shows,  that 
the  happiness,  intended  for  us  all,  is  the  gratification 
of  our  benevolence.  The  goodness  of  God  is  every 
where  represented  as  prevailing  over  his  severity; 
he  remembers  good  actions  to  thousands  of  genera- 
tions, and  punishes  evil  ones  only  to  the  third  and 
fourth.  Not  a  sparrow  is  forgotten  before  him;  he 
giveth  to  all  their  Ineat  in  due  season;  pities  us,  as 
a  father  does  his  children;  and  sets  our  sins  as  far 
from  us  as  heaven  is  from  earth,  &c.  All  which 
kind  of  language  surely  implies  both  infinite  mercy 


HARTLEY    ON    UNIVERSALISM.  163 

in  the  forgiveness  of  sin,  and  infinite  love  in  advanc- 
ing his  purified  children.  We  are  all  the  offspring 
of  God,  and,  by  consequence,  agreeably  to  other 
phrases,  are  heirs  of  all  things,  heirs  of  God,  and 
co-heirs  with  Christ,  members  of  the  mystical  body  of 
Christ,  and  of  each  other,  i.  e.  we  are  all  partakers 
of  the  happiness  of  God,  through  his  bounty  and 
mercy.  God  is  the  God  of  the  Gentiles,  as  well  as 
of  the  Jews;  and  has  concluded  them  all  in  unbelief, 
only  that  he  might  have  mercy  upon  all.  And,  in  gen- 
eral, all  the  arguments  for  the  ultimate  happiness  of 
all  mankind,  taken  from  the  relations  which  we  bear 
to  God,  as  our  creator,  preserver,  governor,  father, 
friend,  and  God,  are  abundantly  attested  by  the 
scriptures. 

Secondly,  there  are  in  the  scriptures  some  argu- 
ments for  the  ultimate  restoration  and  happiness  of 
all  mankind,  which  now  seem  sufficiently  full  and 
strong,  and  which  yet  could  not  be  understood  in 
former  ages;  at  least,  we  see,  that,  in  fact,  they 
were  not.  Of  this  kind  is  the  history  of  the  Jewish 
state,  with  the  prophecies  relating  thereto.  For  we 
may  observe,  that,  according  to  the  scriptures,  the 
body  politic  of  the  Jews  must  be  made  flourishing 
and  happy,  whether  they  will  or  no,  by  the  severities 
which  God  inflicts  upon  them.  Now  the  Jewish 
state,  as  has  been  already  remarked,  appears  to  be 
a  type  of  each  individual  in  particular,  on  one  hand, 
and  of  mankind  in  general  on  the  other. 

Thus,  also,  it  is  foretold,  that  Christ  will  subdue 
all  things  to  himself  But  subjection  to  Christ, 
according  to  the   figurative  prophetic  style  of  the 


164  HARTLEY    ON    UNIVERSALISM. 

scriptures,  is  happiness,  not  merely  subjection  by 
compulsion,  like  to  that  to  an  earthly  conqueror. 
Agreeably  to  this,  all  things  are  to  be  gathered 
together  in  one  in  Christ,  both  those  which  are  in 
heaven,  and  those  on  earth:  and  St.  John  saw  every 
creature  in  heaven,  in  earth,  under  the  earth,  and  in 
the  sea,  and  all  that  were  in  them,  praising  God. 

The  prayer  of  faith  can  remove  mountains;  all 
things  are  possible  to  it ;  and,  if  we  could  suppose 
all  men  defective  in  this  article,  in  praying  with  faith 
for  the  ultimate  happiness  of  mankind,  surely  our 
Saviour  must  do  this;  his  prayer  for  his  crucifiers 
cannot  surely  fail  to  obtain  pardon  and  happiness  for 
them. 

We  are  commanded  to  love  God  with  our  whole 
powers,  to  be  joyful  in  him,  to  praise  him  evermore, 
not  only  for  his  goodness  to  us,  but  also  for  that  to 
all  the  children  of  men.  But  such  love  and  joy,  to 
be  unbounded,  presuppose  unbounded  goodness  in 
God,  to  be  manifested  to  all  mankind  in  due  time; 
else  there  would  be  some  men,  on  whose  accounts 
we  could  not  rejoice  in  God.  At  the  same  time,  the 
delay  of  this  manifestation  of  God's  goodness,  with 
the  severity  exercised  towards  particulars,  in  their 
progress  to  happiness,  beget  submission,  resignation, 
fear  and  trembling,  in  us,  till  at  last  we  come  to  that 
perfect  love  that  casts  out  fear. 

It  may  perhaps  be,  that  the  writers  of  the  Old  and 
New  Testaments  did  not  see  the  full  meaning  of 
the  glorious  declarations,  which  the  holy  spirit  has 
delivered  to  us  by  their  means;  just  as  Daniel,  and 
the  other  prophets,  were   ignorant  of  the   full   and 


HARTLEY    ON    UNIVERSALISM.  165 

•precise  import  of  their  prophecies,  relating  to  Christ. 
Or  perhaps  they  did;  but  thought  it  expedient,  or 
were  commanded,  not  to  be  more  explicit.  The 
christian  religion,  in  converting  the  various  pagan 
nations  of  the  world,  was  to  be  corrupted  by  them; 
and  the  superstitious  fear  of  God,  which  is  one  of 
these  corruptions,  may  have  been  necessary  hitherto 
on  account  of  the  rest.  But  now  the  coruption  s  of 
the  true  religion  begin  to  be  discovered  and  removed, 
by  the  earnest  endeavors  of  good  men  of  all  nations 
and  sects,  in  these  latter  times,  by  their  comparing 
spiritual  things  with  spiritual. 

How  far  the  brute  creation  is  concerned  in  the 
redemption  by  Christ,  may  be  doubted;  and  it  does 
not  seem  to  be  much  or  immediately  our  business  to 
inquire,  as  no  relative  duty  depends  thereon.  How- 
ever, their  fall  with  Adam,  the  covenant  made  with 
them  after  the  deluge,  their  serving  as  sacrifices  for 
the  sins  of  men,  and  as  types  and  emblems  in  the 
prophecies,  their  being  commanded  to  praise  God 
(for  every  thing  that  hath  breath  is  thus  commanded, 
as  well  as  the  Gentiles),  seem  to  intimate,  that  there 
is  mercy  in  store  for  them  also,  more  than  we  may 
expect,  to  be  revealed  in  due  time.  The  Jews  con- 
sidered the  Gentiles  as  dogs  in  comparison  of  them- 
selves. And  the  brute  creatures  appear  by  the 
foregoing  history  of  association  to  differ  from  us  in 
degree,  rather  than  in  kind. 

It  may  be  objected   here,  that,  if  this    opinion  of 

the  ultimate  happiness  of  all  mankind  be  true,  it   is 

not,  however,  proper  to  publish  it.     Men   are   very 

wicked,  notwithstanding  the  fear  of  eternal  pui>ish- 

14 


166  HARTLEY    ON    UNIVERSALISM. 

ment;  and  therefore  will  probably  be  more  so,  if 
that  fear  be  removed,  and  a  hope  given  to  the  most 
wicked  of  attaining  everlasting  happiness  ultimately. 
I  answer.  First,  That  this  opinion  is  already 
published  so  far,  that  very  few  irreligious  persons 
can  be  supposed  to  believe  the  contrary  much 
longer  :  or,  if  they  do  believe  absolutely  eternal 
punishment  to  be  the  doctrine  of  the  scriptures,  they 
will  be  much  induced  thereby  to  reject  revealed 
religion  itself.  It  seems  therefore  to  be  now  a  prop- 
er time  to  inquire  candidly  and  impartially  into  the 
truth.  The  world  abounds  so  much  with  writers, 
that  the  mere  opinion  of  a  single  one  cannot  be 
supposed  to  have  any  great  weight.  The  arguments 
produced  will  themselves  be  examined,  and  a  person 
can  now  do  little  more  than  bring  things  to  view  for 
the  judgment  of  others.  The  number  of  teachers 
in  all  arts  and  sciences,  is  so  great,  that  no  one 
amongst  them  can  or  ought  to  have  followers,  unless 
as  far  as  he  follows  truth. 

But,  Secondly,  It  does  not  seem,  that  even  the 
motives  of  fear  are  lessened  to  considerate  persons, 
by  supposing  the  fire  of  hell  to  be  only  a  purifying 
one.  For  it  is  clear  from  the  scriptures,  that  the 
punishment  will  be  very  dreadful  and  durable.  We 
can  set  no  bounds  either  to  the  degree  or  duration 
of  it.     They  are  therefore  practically  infinite. 

Thirdly,  The  motives  of  love  are  infinitely  en- 
hanced by  supposing  the  ultimate  unlimited  happiness 
of  all.  This  takes  off*  the  charge  of  enthusiasm 
from  that  noble  expression  of  some  mystical  writers, 
in  which  they   resign   themselves  entirely  to  God, 


HARTLEY    ON    UNIVERSALISM.  167 

both  for  time  and  eternity.  This  makes  us  embrace 
even  the  most  wicked  with  the  most  cordial,  tender, 
humble  affection.  We  pity  them"  at  present,  as  ves- 
sels of  ivrath;  yet  live  in  certain  hopes  of  rejoicing 
with  them  at  last ;  labor  to  bring  this  to  pass,  and 
to  hasten  it;  and  consider,  that  every  thing  is  good, 
and  pure,  and  perfect,  in  the  sight  of  God. 


END. 


Princeton  Theologrcal  Seminary-Spee 


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